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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



MEMOIR OF HARRIET WARE. 




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MEMOIR 



HARRIET WARE. 



" She hath been a succourer of many." 
Romans xvi. 2. 




PHILADELPHIA: 

AMERICAN SUNDAY-SCHOOL UNION, 

No. 316 CHESTNUT STREET. 

NEW YORK: No. 147 NASSAU ST BOSTON: No. 9 CORNHILL. 

LOUISVILLE : No. 103 FOURTH ST. 






Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1853, by the 

AMERICAN SUNDAY-SCHOOL UNION, 

in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the Eastern District of 

Pennsylvania. 



4®=* No books are published by the American Sunday-school Union 
vntliout the sanction of the Committee of Publication, consisting of four- 
teen members, from the following denominations of Christians, viz. Bap- 
tist, Methodist, Congregationalist, Episcopal, Presbyterian, Lutheran, and 
Reformed Dutch. Not more than three of the members can be of the same 
denomination, and no book can be published to which any member of the 
Committee shall object. 



to 

Ox 



HARRIET WARE. 



CHAPTER I. 



Harriet Ware was born in Paxton, Wor- 
cester county, Massachusetts, on the 12th of 
July, 1799. 

Her father was a respectable, intelligent, and 
amiable man, of high moral principle and great 
personal worth, but not a professor of religion. 
Her mother was a devout and active Christian, 
remarkable for the same independence and 
decision of character that distinguished her 
daughter. 

In early life Miss Ware was gay and thought- 
less, and wholly devoted to the pursuit of plea- 
sure. Throughout her life, whatever she under- 
took she pursued with her whole heart. 

The irrepressible kindness of her nature was 

7 



8 MEMOIR OF 



frequently exhibited in acts of self-denying and 
almost romantic benevolence, which left a deep 
impression on the memory . of her early asso- 
ciates. Being the eldest daughter, she occupied 
a prominent place in the family, and gave early 
indications of that decision and energy which 
she so fully exhibited in subsequent life. Eeli- 
gion purified, ennobled and harmonized its ele- 
ments ; but, from the structure of her mind, 
an observer would easily perceive that no change 
of circumstances or condition could have made 
her any thing else than a strong-minded, ori- 
ginal, benevolent, and sagacious woman. 

About the year 1819, Miss Ware became 
personally interested in the subject of religion; 
and in September of that year, having removed 
to Franklin, Mass., she made a public profes- 
sion of her faith, and united herself with the 
church of Christ in that town, then under the 
pastoral charge of the late Dr. Emmons. The 
whole force of her character was now turned in 
a new direction. Her renunciation of the world 
was sincere and universal, and most earnestly 



HARRIET WARE. 



did she labour to follow in the footsteps of Hini 
"who went about doing good." With the hope 
of extending the sphere of her usefulness, she 
attended a private school for some time, and 
then commenced her labours as a teacher. She 
first taught a school at Union, in the State of 
Maine, but soon removed to the southern part 
of Rhode Island, where she was employed as a 
teacher until her removal to Providence. 

During the period of her residence in Rhode 
Island, a perceptible change seems to have 
taken place in her religious character. Her 
views of the great doctrines of religion seem to 
have become more definite and impressive, and 
her inmost spirit was brought into more imme- 
diate subjection to the teachings of the Word 
of God. Hence, also, her faith became, in an 
unusual degree, simple, confiding and absolute. 
There was something in her trust in God, under 
all circumstances, during her subsequent life, 
which reminded one of the faith of martyrs and 
primitive Christians. She received the precepts 
of the Gospel as the commands of a parent ad- 



10 MEM OIK OF 



dressed to a beloved child. The promises of 
God were to her no vague generalities, but po- 
sitive assurances, on which she relied with earn- 
est, humble, and whole-hearted confidence. It 
is natural to believe that this deep religious trust 
uniting itself with natural firmness of character, 
would prepare her, in an unusual degree, for 
works of independent and original usefulness. 
Her native resolution became calmer, but more 
firm and unwavering ; for it derived its energy 
from intimate communion with God. Her de- 
cisions were not the mere impulses of an indo- 
mitable spirit, but the purposes of a soul as- 
sured that it was fulfilling the commands of its 
Father who is in heaven. 

Hence it was that Miss Ware was led to un- 
dertake labours from which most others of her 
sex would have shrunk, and to devise ways 
of usefulness which others have seldom if 
ever attempted. For the same reason she 
seemed to rely on herself, and to follow the 
suggestions of her own mind, with a confidence 
which, to those who did not understand her 



HARRIET WARE. 11 



principles, sometimes seemed like obstinacy. 
She had early learned to rely so exclusively on 
God, and to be guided so entirely by her own 
convictions of duty, and the path in which she 
was to walk had been so often pointed out to 
her, that she seemed not to feel, so much as 
most persons, the need of human aid. God had 
so often appeared for her when other helpers 
failed, that she had learned habitually to expect 
his interposition in her behalf. With such 
views, it is not surprising that she removed to 
Rhode Island in order to commence a school, 
in what she then supposed to be one of the most 
destitute regions in New England. It was for 
the same reason that she was directed to India 
Point, the most neglected spot in Providence. 
Her motive for going there was to do good to 
those whom all other persons believed to be ir- 
reclaimable, and her purpose was rendered im- 
movable by the attempts of her friends to dis- 
suade her from the enterprise. 

The reader w T ould however greatly err, if he 
supposed Miss Ware to be, in any respect, ab- 



12 MEMOIR OF 



stracted, gloomy, or fanatical. Her nature was 
remarkably genial, and her sympathy for all 
forms of suffering intense. Her love of chil- 
dren amounted to a passion. She seemed "to 
rejoice as in hid treasure," whenever she had 
added to the number of her charge a forsaken 
and friendless orphan ; and the more destitute 
the child appeared, the feebler and the more 
helpless, the better did she love it, and delight 
to watch over it with almost maternal solicitude. 

If any of the children that she was thus 
attempting to rescue from destruction turned 
out badly, it was surprising to observe the va- 
riety of expedients which she employed to in- 
cline them to virtue. If a boy or girl was 
presented to the care of the benevolent society 
of which she was an active manager, who was 
of a singularly bad reputation, she was pecu- 
liarly anxious to receive it, with the evident feel- 
ing that to reclaim such an one was a special 
triumph of benevolence. 

In this kind of labour she was eminently suc- 
cessful, and her experiences recalled to mind the 



HARRIET WARE. 13 



saying of the missionary Eliot, when he had 
translated the Bible into one of the languages 
of the aborigines, a Prayers and pains, with the 
blessing of God, can accomplish any thing." 

Nor was this earnest and expansive benevo- 
lence, in the case of Miss Ware, at all allied 
to that indiscriminate kindness which is easily 
made the dupe of artful imposture. On the 
contrary, she was remarkable for sagacity, 
shrewdness of observation, and instinctive 
knowledge of character. No one more readily 
discriminated between acting and seeming to 
act, between sentimental talk and earnest pur- 
pose, or more correctly measured the amount 
and quality of the capacity of those with whom 
she was called to act. 

By a single epithet, in the description of a 
character, casually and probably inadvertently 
thrown in, it would be evident that scarcely a 
social or intellectual bias, in those with whom 
she was conversant, escaped her. In common 
with most persons of original thought, she had 
a strong inclination to humour, and even to 

2 



14 MEMOIR OF 



drollery. This gave at times great point and 
interest to her conversation, and not unfre- 
quently, even when she. was suffering under 
distressing pain, extracted a smile from those 
who were all but weeping around her. 

These slight intimations of her character 
seemed requisite, in order to enable the reader 
to sympathize in the sentiments which breathe 
through the following letters. They present 
at best but a most imperfect representation of 
the mind and heart of their author. They are 
merely extracts of such of her letters as could 
be collected ; but they will not be wholly without 
interest, since they contain all the written me- 
morials that remain of a remarkable and most 
benevolent w T oman. 



HARRIET WARE. 15 



EXTRACTS FROM LETTERS 

Written by Miss Ware, from the time of her profession 
of religion to her removal to Providence, 1819-1830. 



RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE. 

Miss Ware united with the Congregational 
Church in Franklin, Mass., September 26, 1819. 
The following extracts from a brief history of 
her religious exercises will show their character 
and influence. The original paper is dated in 
September, 1819. 

Since the year 1816, my peace has been fre- 
quently disturbed by fearful apprehensions of 
punishment, but I am not conscious of ever re- 
alizing sin in itself as an infinite evil, until the 
last year, in the course of which God was pleased 
to set home divine truth upon my conscience. 
I then saw that I was without God in the world. 
Religion appeared the one thing needful. I 



16 MEMOIR OF 



thought I was willing to sacrifice every other 
enjoyment for an interest in Christ. But this 
was very far from relieving, my mind. On hear- 
ing a sermon preached from John i. 29, " Be- 
hold the Lamb of God which taketh away the 
sin of the world/' I plainly saw that Christ had 
offered himself a sacrifice for sin, and he was 
then inviting all to come to him that they might 
have life. I sensibly felt that my sins had se- 
parated me from God, and that it was entirely 
out of my power to do any thing to recommend 
myself to his favour. In this hopeless situation, 
I humbly trust I was enabled, through divine 
grace, to commit myself unreservedly into the 
hands of God. I thought I felt satisfaction in 
being a creature in the hands of a holy God. 
Soon after, I found myself involved in darkness, 
and was left to believe that I was a stranger to 
saving faith in Christ. But I have since che- 
rished the hope that my trust and confidence 
was in God. Christians now appear amiable ; 
the Sabbath, which was once long and tiresome, 
now appears like a day of sacred rest; the 



HARRIET WARE. 17 



Bible, which once appeared like a sealed book, 
is now a source of pleasant and profitable in- 
struction. 

I think I have now a desire to be on the 
Lord's side, and feel it a duty to unite with his 
people in this place. I do therefore offer my- 
self to this church, soliciting your acceptance 
of me, and prayers for me and watchfulness 
over me, that I may live agreeably to the pro- 
fessions I now make. 

Harriet Ware. 

The remaining letters are inserted in the 
order in which they were written, and do not, 
that I am aware, need any explanation. 

Franklin, Jan. 2, 1825. 
To Mrs. C. M.— My dear C— I have before 
related to you something of the interesting 
season I have passed at Salem, and have now 
hinted at the general state of feeling in this our 
beloved Franklin. Do you not ask how your 
friend H. stands affected with all this ? Could 
I enjoy that free and familiar conversation 

2* 



18 MEMO IE OF 



•which. I have thought so great a privilege in 
former days, I think I could speak freely on the 
subject. I scarcely dare to write, lest I should 
give you reason to think that I have felt more 
than I really have. When I first left Frank- 
lin it was peculiarly trying, as you may well 
suppose, to be entirely separated from every 
friend in whom I could discover the least simi- 
larity of sentiment or feeling. I viewed it as 
a severe correction, but was very far from ex- 
ercising any thing like corresponding affections 
toward Him from whom it was sent. I really 
felt that I was the Achan to be removed, be- 
fore God could pour out his Spirit upon this 
church, and on that ground thought I felt a 
kind of hypocritical submission ; but, my dear 
friend, I have since thought that I enjoyed some 
evidence that God was dealing with me in cove- 
nant love and faithfulness. If I am not de- 
ceived, I have been enabled to say, with a de- 
gree of sincerity, " Whom have I in heaven but 
Thee ? and there is none on earth that I desire 
besides Thee." It truly appears like infinite 



HARRIET WARE. 19 



condescension in the High and Holy One, thus 
to deal with the vilest of all, who are permitted 
to hope in his mercy. I left Franklin with 
deep regret, fearing the consequences, though I 
had promised never again to distrust a wise 
Providence. And now, my dear C, though I 
have reason to be astonished at my criminal 
coldness, neglect of duty, and unconcern for 
the salvation of precious and immortal souls, 
for whom Christ suffered and died; yet, at 
times, since my return, I think I have enjoyed 
a nearness of access to the throne of Divine 
grace that is to me almost new. I have pecu- 
liar trials, but think I can sincerely rejoice in 
committing all that life holds dear into the 
hands, of him who suffereth not a sparrow to fall 
to the ground without Him, and who will cer- 
tainly be glorified in all the works of his 
hands. -I have already said too much of self; 
you know I always do. Will you pray for me 
and for this people, that God would take from 
us whatever is offensive, prepare us to receive 
a blessing, and in his time pour it out ? 



20 MEMOIR OF 



Hopkinton, August 19, 1828. 
To Miss M. — But oh my heart, what iniquity 
reigns there ! I find it a cage of every unclean 
bird ; but how little do I know of the depths 
of its iniquity ! I am continually crying out, 
guilty, guilty, as did Judas ; but greatly fear 
that I have never known any thing of the peni- 
tence of Peter. I know indeed something about 
the Spirit, but if I have been born of the Spirit, 
where are the fruits of righteousness ? I can- 
not find them in my life. I know not of a 
single soul who would have been led, from my 
example, to glorify their Father in heaven. I 
have long been a companion of the wise, and 
still hold the lamp in my hand ; but, my friend, 
I fear I have not a drop of that kind of oil 
which will continue to burn when the midnight 
cry shall be made. I have just religion enough, 
and hardly that, to strip the world of every 
charm, but not enough to raise my heart in 
humble gratitude and adoration to the great 
Source of all happiness. Will you not fer- 



HARRIET WARE. 21 



vently pray for rue, that, if I have built upon the 
sand, my hopes may be swept away before it is 
for ever too late ; and if upon the rock Christ 
Jesus, that I may possess and manifest more the 
spirit of my Divine Master ? 



RESOLUTIONS. 

Hopkinton, Sept. 7, 1828. 
Tn view of the wretched state of a vast num- 
ber of the human family, who are ignorant of 
the only name given under heaven whereby 
men can be saved, and of the astonishing mercy 
of God toward so foul a worm, that he not only 
has caused the glorious light of the gospel to 
shine upon me, and permitted me to indulge a 
trembling hope of pardon and acceptance through 
the merits of a once crucified Eedeemer, but 
in various ways has so signally distinguished 
me in his providential dealings ; I feel it a sa- 
cred duty and privilege to inquire what I shall 
render unto the Lord for all his benefits. In 



22 MEMOIR. OF 



humble dependence on God for his gracious as- 
sistance, 

Resolved, that the ensuing year shall be 
more exclusively devoted to the cause of Christ 
in the world than any preceding. 

Resolved^ that both by my influence and by 
contributing of my substance, I will try to pro- 
mote the benevolent objects presented before 
the Christian public. 

Resolved^ that if God should preserve my 
health, and so far prosper me that it can be 
consistent) I will devote at least $ exclu- 
sively to such benevolent objects as God in his 
providence shall point out, praying for his di- 
rection and blessing. 

Resolved) that I will spend no more time in 
sleep than I think my health requires ; that I 
will try, as far as possible, to improve all my 
time, so dividing it between labour, study, devo- 
tion and rest, as is best calculated to promote 
the specified object; and to this end, I will 
strive to maintain a realizing conviction that 
the eye of God is upon me, and that I am con- 



HARRIET WARE. 



stantly and entirely dependent upon him, and 
in this dependence may I find both strength 
and safety. 

Resolved, that every day shall begin (if not 
prevented by positive reason) with reading the 
Bible in a devout manner, and humble prayer 
to God for the influences of his Spirit, not only 
to enable me to walk as becometh a professed 
follower of Christ, but that they may descend 
on the world of mankind in general, and his 
own dear children in particular. And may 
the Lord, for the sake of Jesus, enable me to 
fulfil these solemn vows ; and all the glory shall 
be given to his great and holy name, Father, 
Son, and Spirit. 



Cranston, August 5, 1830. 

My Dear Friend Elizabeth — It is Sabbath 
afternoon. Probably you are this moment list- 
ening with pleasing interest to hear a good gos- 
pel sermon. If so, do not forget that you are 
one of the comparatively few thus favoured ; 



24 MEMOIR OF 



one of the favoured few who can unite with kin- 
dred spirits in the solemn service of worship- 
ping the great God. My dear friend, we are 
both involyed in the awful responsibility of hav- 
ing been exalted to the very heavens in point 
of privileges. But what am I writing ! I meant 
to say, that I have recently been asking myself, 
what I have ever been constrained by the love 
of Christ to do for his cause in the world ? I 
do believe that the love of Christ is the mighty 
engine by which the church is to he impelled in 
all her forward marches; yet I must acknow- 
ledge that I find in my heart altars erected on 
which sacrifice is daily offered to other deities. 
So true is this, that the natural inference seems 
to be that, to say the least, it is extremely 
doubtful whether supreme love to Christ ever 
reigned there. * * * 

Possibly I might not have made this confession 
but that you might more deeply feel that the 
strength of the church can in no wise be esti- 
mated by its numbers ; and that the few, wha 
are the disciples of Christ indeed, have a mighty 



HARRIET WARE. 25 



work to do. I well know that the church is 
only sure of final victory because an Almighty 
Sovereign is her King ; yet he does condescend 
to accept the services of his children. I seem 
to see more and more clearly (though I feel 
nothing) that the spirit of Christ, the spirit of 
prayer, in a word, the only spirit that can ever 
breathe in heaven, is a spirit of holy action, of 
holy enterprise. As clearly, too, can I see that, 
of all the honours and privileges which were 
ever conferred on guilty man, that of being a 
servant of Christ, a co-worker with him in 
building up and extending his kingdom, is 
infinitely the most desirable. I can see, too, 
how powerful is the motive for vigorous exer- 
tion to all who will take hold of the promises, 
"that God worketh in you," &c. Though I 
see what I cannot feel, I do ardently desire 
every one, in whose bosom ever glowed the 
flame of Divine love, to feel and act for Christ ; 
ever remembering that the joy that was set 
before Christ, and for which he endured so 

much, was that he might " purify unto himself 
3 



26 MEMOIR OF 



a people who should be zealous of good works. 97 
Though I may never he allowed to unite in the 
song of the redeemed, may you, who are Chris- 
tians indeed, be permitted to raise higher your 
notes of praise, by knowing that you have been 
instrumental in pointing many souls to the Sa- 
viour of the world. I hardly dare to read what 
I have written ; I know it will not sound just 
as I meant to have it. But I have a strong 
conviction on my mind that the most humble 
and active Christians will wonder when they 
arrive in heaven, that they have actually done 
so little for Him who has given his dear Son 
for them ; for him who has laid down his life 
for them. Was it posssible for a happy spirit 
to feel a sensation of regret, would they not feel 
it in view of this subject ? 



Cranston, Sept. 11, 1830. 
To Miss M. D. — What do you hear or know 
that indicates that Christians are becoming 



HARRIET WARE. 27 



more awake to the solemn responsibility that 
rests upon them ? It is an affecting truth that 
the world lieth in wickedness, and that it is to 
be brought to the knowledge of the truth as it 
is in Jesus by a little company of his friends ; 
that is, that they are to be employed as instru- 
ments in the glorious enterprise. Do you think 
that Christians generally are aware of the field 
that is opened before them, when they are com- 
manded really to act for Christ ? Is it suffi- 
ciently considered that the spirit of prayer is 
the very spirit of holy action ? The history of 
Christ and the apostles surely presents not 
merely feelings, but a continued scene of un- 
paralleled exertions and self-denial. And how 
many facilities have Christians now for extend- 
ing the kingdom of the Redeemer that the 
apostles had not. There are things in connec- 
tion with this subject that have rested with 
fearful interest upon the mind of your friend 
H. of late. I can sometimes seem to realize 
that not being actively engaged for Christ is 



28 MEMOIR OF 



about the same thing as taking sides with the 
great enemy. 



i 



Cranston, Sept. 26, 1830. 

To Miss M. W. — I have thought more than 
usual of late, that, if the standard of personal 
piety could be raised, it would do more to ex- 
tend the interests of Zion than a hundred new 
societies and agents that make a great show in 
the world. I know there must be societies and 
agents, and wish there were many more than 
there are; but, if the lore of Christ would 
move every wheel in the vast machinery of 
Christian enterprise, the nations of the earth 
could soon become the kingdoms of Christ. 
Oh, how many spirits, in opposition to this only 
one on which God can look with approbation, 
have gone abroad, wearing the garb of Christian 
benevolence ! 

But, sister Mary, if I have cause for humble 
gratitude, you have cause to rejoice exceedingly. 
If you are in the midst of a revival of religion* 



HARRIET WARE. 29 



you do see the glory of God passing before you, 
in the salvation of souls, more precious than a 
million of globes of gold. But while you re- 
joice, as you certainly must if you have one 
particle of love to the Saviour, can you realize 
the awful responsibility that rests upon every 
individual who is allowed to witness such a 
scene? If pure and undefiled religion is re- 
vived, the Spirit is poured out, and can you 
suppose it will be withdrawn, until grieved 
away by the sins of Christians ? I verily be- 
lieve this sentiment. I know God is a sove- 
reign, but he always adapts the means to the 
end. The very place where you stand is holy 
ground, and may grace be given you so to walk, 
that when the great day shall disclose the 
secrets of all hearts, it may not be found that 
the Divine Spirit has been provoked to with- 
draw his heavenly influences by any of your 
sins, I often think of you, and if you will 
allow me, will say, that, from the nature of 
your employment, and some circumstances con- 
nected with your situation, I fear lest you be 
3* 



30 MEM OIK OF 



tempted to substitute Christian converse and 
general good feeling, for deep humility, watch- 
fulness, and communion with God. This you 
will receive as a friendly caution, not as a 
charge. 



The following extract from one of Miss 
Ware's scholars, bears testimony to her fidelity 
as a teacher, and her great success in imparting 
religious instruction to her pupils. 

Hopkinton, Sept. 7, 1849. 

Miss Ware came here in August, 1827, to 
teach school. I remember perfectly well the 
first morning, when, with several other chil- 
dren, I called at my uncle's, where Miss W. was 
boarding, and she was introduced to us as our 
teacher. What was our surprise when some 
w r ere welcomed by a shake of the hand, others 
by a pat on the head, and the smaller ones with 
a kiss on the cheek ; this, with her smiles and 



HARRIET WARE. 31 



gentle kindness, soon won our affections and 
respect, and made a deep and lasting impression 
on the mind, which time will never efface. 
We went in company with her to school, where 
we met the other children, and they too were 
received in the same kind and friendly manner. 
She commenced the school with prayer, gave 
such instruction as she thought proper, and 
arranged the classes. Each scholar was di- 
rected ivhat to do, and lioiv to do it. She was 
always ready and willing to explain the "whys 
and wherefores," as she called them; therefore 
we had no trouble, and were happy. All this 
was so unlike what we had been accustomed to 
from former teachers, that we all felt we had se- 
cured a friend as well as teacher. Thus plea- 
santly and happily passed the few short weeks 
of the summer's school. She also possessed a 
very peculiar and interesting way of explain- 
ing all that was difficult and perplexing to the 
children ; she would never yield the point until 
all was fully understood. 

I recollect one instance in particular. A 



32 MEMOIR OF 



little girl was very much troubled about under- 
standing her grammar; she had studied it a 
long time, learned almost every part of it, could 
repeat it correctly when asked, and yet was 
entirely ignorant of its principles. Miss W. 
soon discovered her embarrassment, and tried 
to explain the difficulties, but found it too much 
of a task to accomplish during school-hours; 
she kindly said, I have not time to attend to it 
now as I wish, but think I can make you love 
grammar yet. Just take your book in your 
hand, and we will walk home together ; and I 
think by the time we separate you will believe 
that grammar is a pretty study. The task was 
accomplished, and ever after it was among her 
pleasant lessons. 

All the duties of the school were conducted 
in the same persevering, gentle manner. Her 
employers soon became as much attached to her 
as her pupils were, and they were anxious she 
should take the winter school. She reluctantly 
accepted. Her fear of incompetency was such, 
that she visited Providence to prepare herself 



HARRIET WARE. 33 



for the task. She then returned, and resumed 
her labours under very favourable circum- 
stances. She was perfectly qualified for every 
department, and gave general satisfaction. It 
was the most interesting school I ever attended. 
It was large; the house small and crowded, 
yet the most perfect order and system prevailed. 
Her time and talents were devoted to the scho- 
lars ; she studied constantly the best method 
of teaching them how to spend their time pro- 
fitably and pleasantly, and succeeded. Her 
religious influence and example produced a 
beneficial and lasting effect. Her daily life 
and conversation proved that she had been 
with Jesus. Many of those who attended her 
school received their first religious impressions 
from her, and almost all of them have become 
worthy members of the church of Christ, 



34 MEMOIR OF 



CHAPTER II. 

RESIDENCE AT INDIA POINT. 

In the spring of 1832, Miss Ware commenced 
her labours at India Point. A lady who had 
become acquainted with her energy of charac- 
ter, her success as a teacher and her single- 
hearted devotedness as a Christian, suggested 
to her this locality as a field of labour for which 
she seemed peculiarly adapted. 

What is termed India Point is a small suburb 
of Providence, at a considerable distance from 
the centre of the city, on the bank of the 
Seekonk or Pawtucket River, at the spot where 
a bridge connects the State of Rhode Island 
with the State of Massachusetts. It consisted 
of a cluster of small houses, inhabited princi- 
pally by oystermen and fishermen, presenting 
nothing in its general appearance that would 
distinguish it from similar situations which may 



HARRIET WARE. 35 



be found in the vicinity of most large towns. 
The occupation of the inhabitants had brought 
them but little into contact with the rest of the 
community. In this manner they had been 
sadly overlooked by the benevolent, and had 
formed a community in some respects clannish, 
and were to a considerable degree separated 
from the rest of the population. For myself, I 
must confess, that, until I heard of Miss Ware's 
labours, I do not think that I had ever heard 
of the existence of such a neighbourhood as 
India Point, and, of course, I knew nothing of 
the destitution of its inhabitants. Its moral 
condition was, I believe, first made known by 
some zealous and self-denying tract-distributers, 
or by the pious teacher of a common school in 
its vicinity. In this manner its wants were re- 
vealed to the religious public, and the feeling 
thus awakened led to the introduction of Miss 
Ware to this city. 

If I do not err, Miss Ware was invited to 
commence her labours at India Point by a so- 
ciety of benevolent ladies, who had, for many 



36 MEMOIR OF 



years, been actively engaged in providing pious 
school-teachers for the most destitute regions 
of Rhode Island. At this time, there was no 
provision by the State for general education, 
and the need of such private effort for the in- 
struction of the young was sufficiently apparent. 
It was through the labours of this society that 
the wants of the State were more fully made 
known to the public ; and thus the present ad- 
vanced position of Rhode Island, in the means 
for universal education, may date its origin 
from the unostentatious labours of a few pious 
females. It was, I believe, their practice to 
pay the teacher a part of her support, leaving 
her to obtain the remainder from the parents 
of her pupils. This rule, though doubtless the 
best that could have been adopted in the pre- 
sent case, subjected Miss Ware to inconve- 
niences of which her friends at the time were 
not aware. 

The situation at India Point was, in a re- 
markable degree, adapted to call out the native 
energies of Miss Ware's character. She was 



HARRIET WARE. 87 



in the midst of a neighbourhood which seemed 
to have been given up as hopeless. This 
awakened all her enterprise. She was told 
that the attempt which she was about to make 
was absurd. This at once nerved her to the 
final resolution to accomplish the work, or 
perish. But, above all, she felt as a practical 
truth, that she was a redeemed sinner, con- 
strained by the love of Christ not to live for 
herself, but for Him who had died for her and 
risen again. This sentiment of gratitude ab- 
sorbed and transcended every other. To be . 
conscious that she was in a common and formal; 
manner giving up herself to God, could by no 
means satisfy her ardent desires. She pre-, 
f erred such a form of labour as would have 
nothing but the love of Christ and the souls 
of men to recommend it ; so that, delivered 
from the temptations of ease, and the love 
of human applause, and almost bereft of hu- 
man sympathy, she might possess the daily : 
consciousness that she was obeying nothing but , 
the will of God, and laying up nothing but a : 

4 



38 MEMOIR OF 



treasure in heaven. Such a situation she 
found at India Point, and the peace of God, 
which passeth all understanding, made it a 
Bethel to her soul. 

In many minor respects she was in a spe- 
cial manner fitted for this task. Her health 
was good, and her capacity of enduring fatigue 
remarkable. Her personal courage was such 
as is rarely surpassed. Her good-humour was 
unfailing, and her native love of the ludicrous 
extracted matter for cheerful, innocent mirth, 
from occurrences which, to a less elastic spirit, 
would have proved only annoying. 

It was at this period of her life that the 
writer's own acquaintance with Miss Ware com- 
menced. After she had been for a few months 
engaged in her labours, I heard that a young 
woman of singularly self-denying energy, was 
devoting herself to the welfare of this suburb 
of the city. In company with a friend, I called 
upon her, and invited her to visit me at her 
leisure, and inform me if I could in any man- 
ner aid her. She soon afterward accepted 



HARRIET WARE. 39 



xnj invitation, and from that time until her 
death I was in the habit of seeing her fre- 
quently. 

I no sooner become acquainted with her than 
I formed the opinion of her character which 
her whole subsequent history justified. There 
was in her conversation a tone of originality 
that indicated a mind master of its own re- 
sources, and accustomed to use them on any 
emergency. You saw at once that she was 
capable of looking at things in their true light, 
unembarrassed by the glare of conventional 
associations* Her benevolence seemed self- 
sacrificing to the utmost limit of endurance, 
and yet it was eminently sagacious and practi- 
cal. She never spoke of her labours or of her- 
self, unless the object in which she was engaged 
rendered it necessary, and even then with ma- 
nifest reluctance. She never made any de- 
mands upon the sympathy of her friends, but 
seemed to prefer to bear her own burden so 
long as it was possible, how heavy soever it 
might be. To put herself entirely out of the 



40 MEMOIR OF 



question, and think only of the cause in which 
she was engaged, did not seem to require an 
effort ; it had become the habitual condition of 
her mind. In a word, she was one of those 
rare persons to whom you feel willing to com- 
mit any benevolent enterprise which she might 
originate, in the full confidence that she would 
conduct it with untiring energy, perfect disin- 
terestedness, and cautious, yet courageous wis- 
dom. 

During her residence at India Point, Miss 
Ware was in the habit of frequently visiting at 
my house, and asking my advice and assist- 
ance whenever she thought that any benefit could 
be derived from them. After the first impres- 
sion of her labours, when the families around 
her had passed away, she frequently stated to 
me the embarrassments with which she was 
contending. Notwithstanding the number of 
conversions that had occurred, the neighbour- 
hood was still vicious. Many of her most pro- 
mising pupils were the children of intemperate 
and profane parents. The lessons of the school- 



HARRIET WARE. 41 



room, both on the Sabbath and other days, 
were rendered ineffectual by the language and 
manners of the fireside and the play-ground. 
She thus became convinced that, in a multitude 
of instances, she was labouring with no perma- 
nent result. Evil sprang up and bore fruit 
faster than she could eradicate it. The chil- 
dren, for whose welfare she had laboured and 
prayed most earnestly, and with the brightest 
prospect of success, were led astray by the force 
of incessant bad example; and thus all her 
hopes were, over and over again, blasted. 

But Miss Ware was not a person to despair 
even in circumstances like these. One form of 
effort had failed. This, however, was not to 
her an indication that her undertaking must be 
relinquished, but only that she must endeavour 
to accomplish it in some other manner. It 
occurred to her that if these children could be 
removed from their present neighbourhood, and 
placed in comfortable situations in the country, 
where they might form different associations, 
and be educated under Christian influences, 



42 MEMOIR OP 



many of them might be saved. To this work 
she at once addressed herself. The confidence 
reposed in her by the parents of her pupils was 
so great, that they were in many cases willing 
to allow her to take the charge of their chil- 
dren on these terms. By inquiry among her 
friends, in different places, she found situations 
for them as she was able ; and thus she placed 
many of them in happy Christian homes. 

In the management of this part of her la- 
bours, she was remarkably careful and delibe- 
rate. She would place a child in no family, 
unless she was previously convinced that it 
would be properly educated and prepared for 
usefulness, and at the same time treated with 
judicious kindness. In a large number of in- 
stances she found persons who, having been 
deprived of their children by death, or never 
having been blessed with offspring, were willing 
to adopt her proteges as their own. In most 
cases no one knew of her arrangements besides 
the parties immediately interested. Hence the 
children grew up widely separated from each 



HARRIET WARE. 43 



other, and in many cases forgetful of their ori- 
gin, and almost forgetful of every other family 
except that into which they had' been adopted. 
Many of them have already married, and are 
occupying respectable positions in society, in 
various parts of New England. 

Such was the nature of Miss Ware's labours 
at India Point. Her school was becoming gra- 
dually a house of reformation for juvenile delin- 
quents, and a refuge for the orphan and friend- 
less in that part of the city. In what manner 
it expanded into the Children's Friend Society, 
will be seen in the subsequent chapter. 



Pkovidence, June 15, 1832, 
The same eve that I arrived here, I called 
on Miss S., to see what had been done in rela- 
tion to the India Point School. I soon ascer- 
tained that all had been clone that could be 
without my own personal effort; and, that was 
just nothing, except that influential individuals 



44 MEMOIR OF 



were in favour of the object. Accordingly, 
Miss S. and myself spent the day at the Point 
in making inquiries. All seemed disposed to 
speak in favour of the school ; but most thought 
their neighbours so bad, that they feared no- 
thing could be done. I was entirely faithless 
myself, until I mentioned the subject to some 
whose influence and assistance were indispen- 
sably necessary, and was told by such that the 
object must be abandoned, that the people 
were completely savage : that it was an impro- 
per place for a female ; and that a child, eight 
years old, would turn me out of school. I felt, 
as you will naturally infer, (you know me 
so well,) greatly encouraged, and was deter- 
mined, at all events, to persevere. After a 
thousand little perplexities, some of which it 
would be quite amusing to relate if I had time, 
I succeeded in entering my school with seven- 
teen scholars; about as many as I expected 
could be obtained. The first week I was obliged 
to board two miles and a half from my school, 
not being able to obtain board in the vicinity 



HARRIET WARE. 45 



of it. I soon, however, found a boarding place 
nearer to it. My school was composed of a 
strange compound. Some had been to school, 
some had not; some could read, some could 
not ; some seemed disposed to treat me civilly, 
some swore they would knock my brains out, 
and such like things. But, to do justice to 
them, every parent, as far as I have learned, 
was willing that their children should be go- 
verned. My school has gradually increased in 
number and interest, and I have now fifty 
scholars. It is considered a very encouraging 
circumstance, that the children continue to be 
pleased with the school, as most of them had 
been under no kind of restriction or discipline 
whatever. Though there seems almost every 
thing to discourage, yet there are some things 
to encourage persevering effort. The parents, 
though seemingly ignorant and forgetful of 
God, appear to regard the school as an inter- 
position of Providence in behalf of their chil- 
dren. The children, in some instances, are 
kept from Sabbath-school and meeting to work 3 



46 MEMOIR OF 



and are allowed to play ; but, in most cases, 
they can be collected together, by going to 
every house after them to lead them to Sabbath- 
school, and they generally attend meeting and 
appear pleased. Not a single scholar in my 
school had ever been put to study, but I find 
them capable of improvement. 

Instead of an oath at the end of every sen- 
tence, the children seem now rather to exult 
that they do not swear or quarrel. Many other 
things rejoice my whole soul; but as I cannot 
make you understand how much they are in- 
debted to influence from abroad, I cannot tell 
you more ; for it now looks like a kind of an ex- 
hibition of jT ? whereas I have done nothing, 
and less than that. But I can assure you there 
is much for somebody to do. Not a few mar- 
ried people have I found who cannot read, and 
do not even know their letters. A few such 
have been induced to come to my school-room, 
between schools, and have learned to read the 
Bible. More, I hope, will be persuaded to do 
the same. The most destructive foe is intern- 



HARRIET WARE. 47 



perance. I think the Point might be a good 
place for a temperance society, for most surely 
the children and wives, who do not get drunk, 
have seen and suffered enough to make them 
willing to promote the virtue of temperance. 
You will not despise me, I hope, if I just say 
that, in view of all I have seen here, I could 
not feel willing to die without knowing that my 
worthless name was somewhere to be found on 
a temperance pledge. 



Providence, August 3, 1832, 

My Dear Brother and Sister — It is so 
long since I ha*ve written to you, that I have 
quite forgotten when it was, and where it was. 
For some months past my cares have rendered 
it impossible for me to write to any of my 
friends. But suppose I give you a little ac- 
count of myself. During the last winter, I 
received a letter from a friend in this place, 
stating the degraded state of a set of human 



48 MEMOIR OF 



beings at India Point, in this city, with a wish 
that I would come and establish a school among 
them. Many things conspired together to make 
me wish to come. It looked to me like a field 
for usefulness. I left Hopkinton again for 
Massachusetts, designing to call here and see 
what had been done about the school. I found 
that nothing could be done without my own 
immediate effort, and almost everything seemed 
to me to forbid that effort being made. I called 
on individuals whose influence and assistance 
must be obtained, if the school should be esta- 
blished. Scarcely one was in favour of it ; all 
admitted it was. needed, but said it could not 
be effected; and that a school would not be 
sustained a fortnight. I know not how to ac- 
count for it, except from the principle of obsti- 
nacy ; but I was by this greatly encouraged to 
make the effort, and finally succeeded in esta- 
blishing a school last April. With humble 
gratitude, I wish to say, that those who had 
most tried to discourage the attempt, were 
ready to co-operate. The object has finally 



HARRIET WARE. 49 



secured the approbation of all the good in the 
community, and I ought to say the patronage ; 
for various societies and individuals have said 
to me, if you need 'assistance, call upon us, and 
we will aid you. The school and neighbourhood 
were better than I expected, but queer enough 
I assure you. My number of scholars has in- 
creased to as great a number as I can possibly 
take care of. Most of them have improved 
rapidly in their learning, but much more in 
their habits. What, in a special manner, de- 
mands my gratitude, is that the Lord, who is 
of great mercy, has appeared in the midst of 
us by His Spirit. Some of my scholars, for 
some weeks past, have appeared deeply serious, 
as well as some of their parents. Two are now 
indulging hope of pardon, through the atoning 
blood of a Saviour. Some of the parents like- 
wise indulge a hope. Much more I could say 
to interest you about them, but I fear you will 
think I am doing great things. But, my dear 
friends, this is not true. Surely there is no 
Crod like our God, wonderful in counsel and in 

5 



50 MEMOIR OF 



working. It is my humble privilege, but one 
for which I wish for ever to adore his infinite 
condescension, to stand a spectator and behold 
his glory with admiring gratitude. Much Chris- 
tian effort has been made in behalf of this place ; 
it is the efforts of other servants which the 
Lord has particularly blessed. I rejoice that 
lie sends by whom he will send, if not by me. 
He knows the pride of my heart, and how rea- 
dily I should exalt myself, if I could feel that 
I am doing something. 

You, probably, may know something of the 
agitation that has prevailed here in relation to 
the cholera. We are expecting it every hour, 
and have been so for weeks or months. The 
second instant, four in one house, it is feared, 
died of that disease. I have had thoughts of 
suspending my school, but I have submitted to 
the advice of those who are best acquainted 
with the circumstances, and all agree that it is 
important to continue the school until it may 
be broken up by the pestilence. I have never 
thought of fleeing to save my life, for no angel 



HARRIET WARE. 51 



has been commissioned to inform me to what 
mountain I might fly and be secure. I have 
thought it might be desirable to die with my 
friends, but I am not anxious, and desire you 
may not be on my account. I believe I am in 
the way of duty, and do not know that I want 
any other security than firm confidence in God. 
Perhaps I have mistaken the dictates of my 
judgment for the feelings of my heart ; but, if 
I am not deceived, my heart feels cheerful in 
the assurance that every circumstance of my 
death will be ordered by my heavenly Father. 
The Lord has been very merciful to me, though 
I have been very rebellious and unfaithful. I 
see, more and more, that there is but one object 
worthy the entire attention of intelligent beings, 
and that is the promotion of the cause of Christ 
in the world. For this, and this alone, I pray 
that I may live, and I have but this one peti- 
tion for you. 



52 MEMOIR OF 



Providence, August 20, 1832. 
I HAVE found myself almost as completely 
. buried at India Point, as if there were no where 
else, nor any body else in the world. I shall 
never attempt to describe to you, or any one 
else, scenes that have passed since I have been 
here, but will say, generally, that to me many 
things have appeared interesting. The chil- 
dren attend meeting and Sabbath-school regu- 
larly, and behave with much propriety. Tour 
families hired pews in the church last week. 
One, who hired a pew, had never been within 
the doors till the Sabbath before last. I will 
just say one thing in relation to myself, since 
I have been here. There have been circum- 
stances which have led many to say, "Why, 
how much good she has done them ;" and even 
good people have returned thanks to the Lord 
that he had made me instrumental of so much 
good to this people; and, what is worse, all 
this in my hearing. Now, my dear M., I never 
believed a moment, that the Lord was pleased 



HARRIET WAKE. 53 






with such offerings; and I firmly believe he 
will manifest his entire disapprobation of every 
such thought and expression. Indeed, I think 
he has begun to manifest it. Last week, from 
beginning to end, the voice of his Providence 
seemed to be, " I ^ill humble every thing that 
exalteth itself; I will bring down every high 
look;" and, my dear M., if my heart does not 
deceive me, I pray that he would do it. I have 
mentioned this, in part, for your profit. Do 
not suffer any one in your presence to say flat- 
tering things of the good you are doing ; and, 
if they offer such in sacrifice to the Lord, re- 
prove them. If I have any one petition to 
offer in your behalf, it is that you may be kept 
humble, and this petition I desire you will offer 
for me. 



Providence, August 24, 1832. 
I WILL just mention, generally, that the in- 
dications of Providence are still in favour of a 
school here. The Lord is certainly very gra- 



54 MEMOIR OF 



cious to me, for he does allow nie to occupy a 
place where I can open my eyes, and see what 
he is doing for the glory of his great name. 
Unworthy as I am, it has been my privilege to 
attend some of my dear children to the inquiry 
meeting, and to hear them express their hope 
of being pardoned sinners. You know how 
very different it is to indulge a hope, from really 
bringing forth the fruits of holiness in the life. 
Nothing yet , appears to forbid the belief that 
they are what they think themselves to be. 
My dear H., do you see with what a pressure 
of circumstances I am surrounded ? The pecu- 
liarly interesting state of the school and neigh- 
bourhood, for which I have become so deeply 
interested, added to the circumstance of living 
in the daily expectation of pestilence, which, 
with but an hour's warning, might for ever sepa- 
rate me from those whose history for the judg- 
ment is going on under my instructions and 
daily influence. I can only say, Lord, what 
am I that thou shouldst take me into thine ac- 
count ? In view of all that I have experienced 



HARRIET WARE. 55 



of the great goodness of God, I have felt an 
unusual desire to consecrate myself to the ser- 
vice of Christ. 



Providence, Sept. 16, 1832. 

My Dear Father — As Kev. Mr. H. of this 
city is to pass your house to-morrow in the 
stage, it occurs to me that it may be a trifling 
gratification to you to hear from your long ab- 
sent daughter. * * * It seems but a little 
while since all your children ate at the same 
table ; but, my dear father, you will not proba- 
bly ever again be thus surrounded by your 
family, on earth. But, if all are the true 
friends and followers of the Saviour, we might 
hope to meet in a Father's house, to go no more 
out. This seems the errand for which we were 
sent into the world; to lay up a little treasure 
in heaven ; for our treasure on earth will soon 
be out of use with us. Our coin will not pass 
in the country to which we are rapidly hast- 
ening. 



56 MEMOIR OF 



I cannot tell yon much of myself, except 
that I am in health in the very midst of dis- 
ease and death. I pursue my accustomed em- 
ployment in the very spot where I wish to be 
employed, and with as much success as I have 
any right to expect will ever attend my exer- 
tions. It is a spot that has long been aban- 
doned, overlooked and forgotten. Whole fami- 
lies reside in this little neighbourhood, within 
the sound of the church-bells of this city, who 
seldom, if ever, saw the inside of a church ; 
within the sound of the school-bells, where they 
might go and be taught free of expense, they 
are unable to read. Even mothers are here, 
who knew not the alphabet ; the children dirty 
and ragged, roving the streets, and taught no- 
thing but to profane the name of the Being 
who made them. But it seems the Lord had 
designs of mercy toward them, for he has put 
it into the hearts of mauy of his children to 
pray and labour for them, and he has blessed 
efforts in their behalf beyond what we dared to 
hope. A most striking change is manifest in 



HARRIET Vv r A R E. 57 






the general appearance of the place. The chil- 
dren, with very few exceptions, are dressed in 
clean clothes on the Sabbath morn, regularly 
attend Sabbath-school and meeting, and behave 
with as much propriety as I have been accus- 
tomed to see children. Some heads of families, 
who never saw the inside of a church till this 
season, have hired seats, and attend meeting 
regularly ; others, who are unwilling to have it 
known that they go to meeting, will contrive to 
.go in the evening, and place themselves where 
they can hear, and not be seen ; others appear 
to have been redeemed from the bondage of 
sin, and adopted into the family of Christ ; 
while some seem to have been given up to their 
own deceivings, and are apparently angry that 
the Lord is coming too near them. Among 
many other things which appear to have been 
owned of God, is the influence of my school. 
I mention this, my dear father, with humble 
gratitude, and wish you to be grateful too. It 
seems truly wonderful to me, that one so 
unworthy should be allowed the privilege of 



58 MEMOIR. OF 



occupying a place that is of any importance 
to my fellow-beings. I do not now, nor do 
I ever wish to feel that I am doing much, 
but at least I am a happy spectator of what the 
Lord is doing for the honour of his own dear 
name. I have said I am happy, and so I am, 
when I remember God will be glorified in all 
the works of his hands ; but when I remember, 
too, how many years I lived in entire disregard 
of the laws and authority of Him that made 
me ; turning a deaf ear to the melting invita- 
tions of a bleeding Saviour ; sporting with his 
dying agony, and trampling his blood under my 
feet; grieving the Holy Spirit, by which I was 
sometimes admonished of death, judgment, and 
eternity; and, to crown all, how very little I 
have exemplified the excellency of religion by a 
holy life and well-ordered conversation, since I 
professed to love the Saviour, and covenanted 
to give him my entire services ; and how much 
there is still, in my heart and life, that is not 
in conformity to the spirit of the gospel ; I am 
constrained to exclaim, mentally, Wo is me ! 



HARRIET WARE. 59 



wretch, indeed ! who shall deliver me from this 
body of death ! But, vile as I am, if my heart 
does not deceive me, I think I find increasing 
evidence of possessing some union of heart to 
Christ. I think I do find increasing pleasure 
in being permitted to perform the most humble 
service for him. I sometimes think I see that 
superlative excellence in his character, that, if 
my soul were worth ten thousand times as much 
as it is, I could most cheerfully give it to him, 
and rejoice that to him, with the Father, be- 
longeth dominion and power, for ever. More- 
over, I do hope I have a little of that peace 
which is promised to those whose minds are 
stayed on God. 

I did not think of writing all that I have 
when I commenced, but I have long felt a de- 
sire to leave a little testimony with you of my 
views and feelings, thinking that possibly, ah ! 
more than probably, if you should live a few 
months, that all you would ever know of me 
might be that the clods of India Point covered 
my worthless clay. Such has been, and still is, 



60 MEMOIR OF 



the state of things, that I realize, in some mea- 
sure, that I am living by the hour. I have not 
unfrequently left my school-room, under tl: 
impression that, perhaps, before another risin 
sun, a grave might be opened to receive me 
and, when I have entered my room in th 
morning, that, perhaps, I had met my smi. 
ing children for the last time. The dire judg 
ment which has swept sixty millions of huma: 
beings from the Eastern continent, and seem 
destined to track the whole earth, has not pre 
vailed extensively here, but cases of cholera an 
occurring almost every day. 

I would gladly say much about many othei 
things, and speak particularly of every member 
of the family, but my sheet is full ere I was 
aware of it. One word I would say to every 
one of them who has not a well-grounded hope 
of eternal life, and that is — there is but one* 
Saviour; whoever rejects him, there remaineth _ 
for him no more sacrifice for sin ; there is but 
one Holy Spirit; if that is rejected until it de- 
part, the soul can never be born again. 



HA ERIE T WARE. 61 



Providence, Oct. 11, 1832. 

I sincerely hope that you are where you 
are happy, and not entirely useless. Our ob- 
ject should be, not so much to live where roses 
spring up under our feet at every step, (and 
thornless roses, too,) as to be where Providence 
intends we should be, and try to be useful 
there. I do not occupy a very elevated stand, 
and know not that any one who is proud would 
covet my employment. But I hope I shall be 
thankful if my pride does not destroy me, and 
actually stand in the way of any good which 
might otherwise come through me to my fellow- 
beings. 

In the first place, I have the honour to teach 
school for a class of people whom no other 
person ever had the honour of teaching much, 
except how to catch oysters and a few such 
things. But, before they can be taught, they 
must be collected, some from off the wharves, 
some out of sand-banks, some out of the oyster- 
shells : not that I mean, however, that my chil- 



62 MEMOIR OF 



dren are oysters. This is not done once 
merely, but more or less every week. Sabbath 
mornings, if I can get upon the ground before 
my children are all gone a-fishing, I can col- 

9 

lect quite a number into the Sabbath-school, 
by going to something like a dozen houses and 
a few wharves. This was more emphatically 
true the first part of the season than now, for 
I assure you there are some now who would not 
be hired to stay at home if their parents would 
allow them, and some of the parents would not 
allow them to be absent. Recently, I have 
taken a fancy to visit the grog-shops on Sun- 
day mornings. You must not laugh at, or be 
angry with me, for by so doing the inmates go 
to meeting. Just now, I am making arrange- 
ments for an evening school, and to board 
myself, for the sake of saving expense, so as 
to be able to sustain my school through the 
winter. 

* * * I have, during the past summer, real- 
ized that what I did here must be done quickly. 
Although T. have no assurance of hope, I find 



HARRIET WARE. 63 



it a blessed thing to live in view of death. It 
has been peculiarly sweet to think whatever 
may become of me at last, I may, if I choose, 
live for Christ while I live upon the earth; 
and, though I have great occasion to be hum- 
bled in the dust that my heart is so often found 
wandering from Grod, yet I desire no other 
master than Christ. I wish for no higher 
place than to sit at his feet. The words of 
John, when he said, "the latchet of whose 
shoes I am not worthy to unloose," have ap- 
peared unusually interesting to me. If my 
deceitful heart does not entirely deceive me, I 
do feel it a privilege, of which I am infinitely 
unworthy, to perform the least service for him. 



Providence, Dec. 26, 1832. 

My Dear M. — * * * I suppose you 
have so long despaired of seeing me a house- 
keeper, that you will be quite astonished at the 
fact that it is even so. Yes, my dear M., I 



64 MEMOIR OF 



am a housekeeper, with almost forty children, 
during the day, and twenty, yes, nearly thirty, 
every evening, except Saturday and Sunday 
evenings. I shall not inform you of my style 
of living ; you must come and see it. I have 
food that is good, and enough of it. I have no 
time to cook, but I have never been destitute 
of little rarities ready cooked. Necessity has 
driven me to this. I found it would be utterly 
impossible to keep school, days and evenings 
too, and go the distance I must to find board. 
My evening school is composed principally of 
adults, some of whom want nothing but an op- 
portunity to be valuable people ; others are just 
what they are. 

At the time when I was upon the point of 
giving up my Sabbath-school, for want of as- 
sistance, a stranger came in one Sabbath morn- 
ing, and seeing the state of things, was moved 
with compassion, and offered to do every thing 
in his power to assist. He has not only been 
punctual and efficient himself, but has obtained 
a sufficient number of excellent teachers from 



HARRIET WARE. 65 



the college, and the school has taken a new 
character. In addition to that, as the cold 
season was approaching, every thing indicated 
that the school must be broken up for want of 
support. But, just at the turning-point, and 
without solicitation, said one, " Don't you wish 
for a good stove ? I have one, and you shall 
be welcome to use it, as long as you have need 
of it." About the same time, another said he 
would be responsible for as much fuel as I 
wanted. Thus, the unseen hand has been 
stretched out for the support of this school, and 
it is now as flourishing as at any former period. 
Instead of brethren meetings, we have the very 
best of sermons, and instead of three or four 
men and women, enough to half fill the room. 
I have obtained several long seats, and my 
room is filled so full there is no place for 
another, and the kitchen is also almost as full. 
There is not so much deep seriousness as there 
was last summer, but far more general attention. 



66 MEMOIR OF 



Providence, Dec. 1, 1832. 

In consequence of a very severe snow-storm, 
which confines me to the house, and company 
being out of my room, I have a few moments 
which are nearer at my disposal than any I 
can recollect for months. Of course, my thoughts 
naturally fix upon my dear A., her husband and 
children. I can already think of a thousand 
things I should love to know respecting them. 
But no one is near to answer my questions. 
Imagination pictures as much cheerfulness at 
your fireside as is profitable for you. And 
let me add, that your friend Harriet's situa- 
tion, probably, is as unlike yours as can be 
conceived, yet, perhaps, not in all respects, for 
she too is as cheerful as the birds of spring ; I 
mean generally. 

I hardly know with what to fill up this ; but, 
if you will endure it patiently, perhaps I will 
give you a history of your friend Z, since leav- 
ing Hopkinton the last of March. 

I then came to this place by the request of 



HARRIET WARE. 67 



my friend Esther, for the purpose of trying to 
establish a school at India Point. After I came 
I named the object to several individuals on 
whose influence it seemed to depend. All, 
with one or two exceptions, said No. Said Mr. 
W., " Go back where you came from, and never 
name it again." Said another, "Do not think 
of it ; they are complete savages. A child of 
eight years of age would turn you out of the 
house." Said another, " My dear, you must 
not attempt it. We cannot encourage or sup- 
port you ; we do not think it respectable for 
any female to go there." But, after all, the 
school was established the last week in April, 
and my school was soon filled with scholars. 
It was no small curiosity to see the variety. 
Some had been to school, and some had not. 
Some could read, and some could not. Some 
appeared pleased, and disposed to treat me 
civilly; some declared they would knock my 
brains out ; but they have never clone it. On 
the whole, it seemed a spot in the moral world, 
on which no dew, or rain, or life-giving rays 



68 MEMOIR OF 



had ever fallen. But it seemed there was a 
soil, and the Lord had prepared it to receive 
seed. In the establishment of the school, the 
interpositions of Providence seemed peculiarly 
striking, and almost every step of its progress 
has been marked by a certain something which 
seems to be understood by all, even the wicked 
and profane, to mean — the Lord hath done 
this. From the commencement of this school 
to the present time, I believe India Point has 
had a place in many hearts who love to pray. 
True, there have been times when it seemed 
that all was fast sinking ; yet many tongues 
and hearts and hands have moved in its behalf; 
and moved too at just such times and under 
such circumstances, as distinctly said, the Lord 
moved them. 

I must mention some particulars as specimens 
of very many others. In the first place, it was 
proposed to have a Sabbath-school in connec- 
tion with the day-school. The gentleman who 
assisted in organizing the school happened to 
be, of all other men, the most suitable for the 



HARRIET WARE. 69 



work, He could excite a deep interest when 
most other men might have as well been 
asleep. Another thing, when the cholera was 
expected daily, all said it would come to India 
Point first, because it was thought that the 
wickedness and filth here was enough to en- 
gender it, if it had never before been in the 
world. But not so. When the whole city was 
in commotion, the inhabitants flying like leaves 
in a whirlwind, many day-schools dismissed or 
deserted, Sabbath-schools distracted, teachers 
and children having fled before the destroying 
angel, India Point was so poor it could not 
move. Neither did I receive any direct com- 
mission to flee to the mountains. Of course, 
my school moved on without interruption. No 
cholera came near it ; but the Spirit of the 
living God came very near, and, I would hum- 
bly hope, some brands were plucked from the 
burning. Perhaps I will tell you more of this 
before I get through. I must mention one 
circumstance more. As the cold season was 
approaching, every thing indicated that I must 



70 MEMOIR OP 



close my school. I had received but a bare 
support. I could make no greater personal sa- 
crifice than I had made, and there seemed no- 
where to look for resources sufficient to sustain 
it, with the additional expense of fuel and 
stove. Besides, I found it impossible to obtain 
assistance in the Sabbath-school; those who 
had been willing to assist had become weary. 
Sometimes, after spending most of the Satur- „ 
day in trying to obtain help, I would go on 
Sabbath morning, as has been my practice, 
to every house and wharf on the Point, to col- 
lect my children into school, and then find my- 
self the only teacher, with perhaps forty scho- 
lars, divided into six or seven classes. Just at 
this crisis, I went into my school-room one 
morning, and found two gentlemen who were 
entire strangers to me. They knew as little 
of me as I of them. They appeared to know 
nothing of the school, only that it was at India 
Point. No one had invited them to call. They, 
however, assisted me, and the next day one 
called again. After inquiring into some cir- 



HARRIET WARE. 71 



cumstances in connection with the school, he 
asked if I was willing to stay through the win- 
ter ; being answered in the affirmative, he said, 
"Then give yourself no uneasiness about the 
support of the school ; I will be responsible 
for it." Thus far he has proved that he meant 
what he said. 

And now, do not laugh. Your friend H. is 
keeping house, teaching day-school as usual, 
and an evening school four evenings in a week. 
My evening school is made up of the last ma- 
terials that are necessary to finish the creation. 
Some sailors and their wives, some young men 
who cannot, or rather could not, read even the 
alphabet, others who cannot write, and some who 
are studying arithmetic. Most of them work 
in the ship-yard, or catch oysters. The number 
of scholars is eighteen. My room is perfumed 
with a compound of oyster-mud, coal, and tar, 
(which forms the crust of their faces, hands, and 
clothes,) resin, tobacco, and gin. But so it is. 
They are willing to be taught, and I am will- 
ing they should be. I am neither afraid nor 



72 MEMOIR OP 



ashamed to teach them. I do not know that 
any thing good will result from it ; but be it 
so. I have the satisfaction of knowing that 
four evenings in a week, from six to eight 
o'clock, they are neither quarrelling", gambling, 
blaspheming the name of the Being who made 
them, nor drinking; and this is reward and 
encouragement enough. 

By this time you need something to make 
you smile. Well, here it is, a description of 
Harriet with her house-keeping apparatus. 
My school-room is a lower room on the street., 
conveniently fitted for school, seats, writing- 
desks, &c, stove to warm the room, a closet 
for books and wood, &c. My household furni- 
ture consists of an old pine-table, one leaf of 
which I can spread, the other is lame ; a water- 
pail, tin-cup, a furnace, and tin-lamp with the 
japan off, two tea-cups and saucers ; one tea- 
cup I use for sugar; one saucer I use for a 
butter-plate ; two knives and one fork, one tea- 
spoon, one table ditto. I cannot finish this 
inventory ; it would be tedious ; you can guess 



HARRIET WARE. 73 



at the rest. I have one very small room besides 
my school-room, which contains my clothes, 
bed, band-boxes, and a few movable writing 
benches, with a small closet which holds all my 
stores. Just let me say here that my food is 
good, and I mean it shall be, for my fatigue 
would soon wear me out if it was not. There 
are three families in the house, besides myself 
and the forty children in the day-time. Two 
of these families contain two distinct families 
each, which would make five families besides my 
own. In the room adjoining mine, there is 
almost a constant stream of profanity and 
fault-finding ; that is, except when they are- in 
the evening school. I have often left the house 
at night, because I was afraid murder would be 
committed, before morning. But that family 
has moved. Say you, Why do you live so ? 
Come and see me, and I will tell you. Say 
you, Why do you call a school together in such 
a bedlam ? I answer, It is the best — indeed, 
the only place — where & school can be called 
together at all. But, say you, No good can 

7 



74 MEMOIR OF 



come under such circumstances. I tell you 
good has come. A whole neighbourhood of 
children, "who, eight months since, could not 
read, and seemed to know only how to profane 
God's name and quarrel, strolling the streets 
on the Sabbath, looking more like swine than 
children, have learned to read their Bibles, are 
more still and civil than the generality of chil- 
dren in the city. They do not now use pro- 
fane language, but are dressed cleanly, and 
attend Sabbath-school and meeting. In some 
instances, intemperate parents, who knew no 
peace, no order, no Sabbath, have become tem- 
perate, industrious, orderly, peaceable, and, I 
humbly hope, pious. 

But, say you, has your wonderful school 
done all this ? I answer, No, none of it com- 
paratively. It has been just this, and no more. 
It has found favour in the eyes of the people ; 
of course, their children have been drawn into 
it, and learned to read, and I do not say it has 
had no influence upon the morals of the chil- 
dren, for it has. It has opened a room where 



HARRIET WARE. 75 



Christians can come together and pray and 
hold religious meetings ; and, by going to the 
people and persuading them, they have fre- 
quently been induced to come in and hear, if 
for no other reason than to get rid of whoever 
went after them. If you had been a mouse in 
some of the India Point gin-shops, on Sabbath 
mornings, you might have received a call from 
one of Dr. E.'s people, insisting on the inmates 
going to meeting. And still more would you 
be astonished to know that any success had 
attended such management as this. But, 
strange as it may seem, it is true. In my 
opinion, this is the very place where such effort 
is the only thing that can reach them. But 
how one of Dr. E.'s people ever came to be 
sent to such a place nobody can tell, unless it 
was to make her willing to bend a little. We 
have preaching here once a week. I will only 
add, that good influences, from various sources, 
are now exerted in this neighbourhood, and 
they are felt. I believe the Spirit of God has 
been here ; and the result of it is, the woman 



76 MEMOIR OF 



with whom I lodge has indulged a hope, and 
last month united with the church. Three 
more (one a member of my school) are candi- 
dates for admission to the church. Others 
give evidence of piety. Some others are anx- 
ious. My dear friend, it has not very unfre- 
quently, during the past summer, been my 
privilege to attend my own dear children to 
the inquiry meetings. I should love to tell 
you a great deal of the deeply interesting state 
of things which is existing here, but I have 
taken all my paper, and filled it with what I 
am afraid will make you despise me. Do for- 
give me for writing and sending such a worth- 
less thing as this. Do write, not because this 
deserves an answer, but because I wish to hear 
from you. Tour's most affectionately, 

Harriet Ware. 



Providence, Jan. 17, 1833. 
* * * I do my own work, and have 
a day and evening school. One evening in 



HARRIET WARE. 77 



the week there is preaching in my room. On 
Saturdays, I generally make calls on the fami- 
lies in the place, besides other calls of business ; 
and, on Saturday evenings, my room is the re- 
sort of all the boys who are disposed to come. 
Some come to prepare Sabbath-school lessons ; 
others to be amused in any way I can think of. 
This being their leisure evening, they would 
otherwise be particularly exposed to tempta- 
tion. Sunday mornings, I rise very early, 
and, with all my diligence, cannot more than 
have myself and my room prepared by nine 
o'clock, when teachers and children assemble 
for Sabbath-school. I attend church twice, 
and sometimes go in the evening ; but should 
never go in the evening except for the sake of 
others. One hour of the intermission on Sun- 
day noons is spent in reading to those who 
wish to hear. Now, can you tell me where my 
leisure time is ? 

Do not think, dear friends, that I am driven 
to this sad dilemma against my will. It is my 
choice, and the pleasure of my life so to live. 



MEMOIR OF 



Sincerely do I hope that I shall never be ranch 
more at leisure. I should really enjoy telling 
you how signal have been the interpositions of 
Providence in behalf of this school. I will 
only say that my school is daily increasing in 
interest ; and the causes which lead to this re- 
sult are such as can be ascribed to no human 
wisdom or forethought. Every thing is now in 
train for a good school-house, and some other 
things are in progress which, it seems, may 
facilitate effort. But, after all, I am by no 
means anxious for those appearances of perma- 
nency, which might lead one almost to trust in 
them. Hitherto, dependence, entire depend- 
ence and exertion, has marked the way. 

I must not forget to say, that four from this 
little spot have recently made a profession, and 
others indulge a hope ; and, for months, there 
has not been a time when some were not in- 
quiring on the subject of religion. This is the 
Lord's doing, and is truly marvellous in the 
eyes of all who have known any thing of this 
place. 



HARRIET WARE. 79 



July 22, 1835. 
Never did the privilege of providing homes 
for little wretched children appear so valuable 
as since I thought it was a fixed case that I 
could not get away from here. I have often 
thought that, with or without a support, I will 
never again complain of fatigue or perplexity, 
as long as one neglected child remains in these 
streets that I can benefit by removing. 



Providence, Nov. 19, 1883. 

My Dear Friexds — I would have you 
make much of a little from your old friend 
Harriet, even if that little should happen to be 
good for nothing ; for you must know it is no 
common occurrence for me to write to a friend. 
I love them, when I can get time to think of 
them, as well as ever ; but I have scarcely writ- 
ten a letter since I wrote to you last year, ex- 
cept when positive necessity has compelled me. 
I know I have all the time there is ; but it 



80 MEMOIR OF 



does not seem half enough for all I have to do. 
I often think I should love to have you come 
and see just how I live, and how others live 
around me ; not that I think it would be very 
flattering to my vanity, but I used to think you 
good for counsel. 

As you do not often hear from me, I believe 
I shall begin just where I closed my last letter. 
I was then keeping house for the sake of sus- 
taining a day and evening school. I continued 
these, during the winter, with no other inter- 
ruption than an occasional drunken revel, 
which would break up the school. Three or 
four times in one week my scholars were dis- 
persed by the cry of murder in the house. 
And once, in the dead of night, your friend 
Harriet, with all her courage, escaped from her 
bed with her teeth chattering in her head with 
fear, and ran after the watch in her night- 
clothes. But nobody was killed ; and, after 
going away a few days, until my nerves were 
quieted a little, I went back to school. The 
last of May I broke up house-keeping, and com- 



HARRIET WARE. 81 



menced boarding in one of the families on the 
Point, consisting only of a man and his wife. 
In just one week after I commenced boarding 
with them, the man died of delirium tremens. 
Never can I forget the horrors of that scene. 
I will not attempt a description, and may you 
never witness any thing similar to it. I will 
just say that I never came as near imagining 
what is meant by the threatenings denounced 
in the Bible against the wicked. I have since 
continued with his widow. She is still, neat, 
and remarkably kind and clever. She is one 
who did not know her letters when I came here. 
She is very little company for me, and there is 
no other family in the house. This is as I wish 
to have it. I have no time to enjoy society, 
and I wish for no temptations of the kind. 
Was I placed in a family where I valued the 
society at all, it would be like placing a hungry 
person in sight of food which he might not 
taste. During last winter, there was just 
enough of excitement to keep me from know- 
ing* that I was ever fatigued. But, when 



82 MEMOIR OF 



spring came, I found that every part of raj 
system, physical and mental, was completely 
"worn out. But my opportunity for rest -was 
nothing better than the care of between seventy 
and eighty of the most ungovernable spirits 
that ever were. My little India Pointers I 
thought rather curious at first ; but they could 
not hold a comparison to those who came in 
from off the Point. I suppose I became some- 
what popular for managing unruly boys ; of 
course, if there was one that nobody else would 
have in school, he was sure to be picked up 
and sent to me. Boys of this stamp, being 
sent in one after another, keep things in mo- 
tion. I sometimes think of applying to the 
city authority for a tax to be paid to the school, 
for it is certainly convenient to have a depot 
for every vile thing that can be picked up in 
the south part of the city. What should you 
think of such a plan ? 

But, to return to myself and say some plea- 
sant things. A vacation of three weeks in 
September has quite restored my health and 



HARRIET WARE. 83 






spirits ; so that I have engaged to commence 
a coloured evening-school next week, half a 
mile from my day-school. When I wrote you 
last year, I was keeping school in a private 
house ; since that Mr. Nicholas Brown has 
given a large school-house, and Mr. Thayer 
has moved it upon the Point. The Sabbath- 
school is well sustained by teachers of the first 
order from college. And many other pleasant 
things I could mention. But, after all, either 
from unbelief, or the sober dictates of my own 
judgment, I have some misgivings. Every 
thing that was novel in the beginning has 
passed away. The workers of iniquity have 
become familiar with my presence. They are 
a people of no fixed principle, and the whole 
w r eight of influence that can be exerted must 
be brought to bear upon feeling. Go and 
say the most solemn things to them, and many 
of them will feel every w T ord, and while that 
feeling lasts they will act. Those, too, who, 
we really hope, have passed from death unto 
life, seem destitute of decided principle. While 



84 



MEMOIR OF 



they "walk in the Spirit, they bring forth the 
fruits of the Spirit;" but the moment good 
feeling declines, they have nothing to keep up 
the deception a moment. They will act di- 
rectly in the face of the plainest commands of 
the Bible, and enjoy religion too. The chil- 
dren, while in school, seem to understand some- 
thing about moral restraints ; but the moment 
they are out of school they are under the im- 
proper influence of vicious parents, or idlers in 
the streets, who, in many instances, stand 
watching for them the moment they leave the 
house. I sometimes feel almost discouraged ; 
yet I believe it wrong to indulge one feeling 
of the kind further than this. I may not, 
after all, act on the best plan for accomplish- 
ing good. I have not half as good an opinion 
of myself or my own judgment as I had one 
year ago. And then again I have found by ex- 
perience that I am just that human being that 
cannot bear much success. I know, in some 
instances, I have felt proud of the fine things 
that I have accomplished. Eut something 



HAEEIET WARE. 85 



must be done to save these dear children. But 
I must not close without saying that I enjoy 
many privileges, good preaching, and attend 
two Bible-classes, 






86 MEMOIR OF 



CHAPTER III. 

It was stated, at the commencement of the 
last chapter, that Miss Ware, during the latter 
part of her residence at India Point, had been 
quite successful in finding places in the coun- 
try for the children under her care. This, in 
the end, became the most important part of her 
undertaking. The obstacles, however, which 
impeded her progress, in this form of benevo- 
lence, were many and serious. Her plans were 
frequently thwarted by the parents themselves, 
who sometimes recalled their children from the 
most desirable situations. Besides, she felt it 
important, in order to procure for her pupils 
a home in religious families, that they should 
have some better preparatory training than 
could be acquired in their present circum- 
stances. Added to this was the fact, that 
India Point had been selected as the terminus 



HARRIET WARE. 87 



of the Boston and Providence railroad ; and 
this would, from necessity, change the whole 
character of the neighbourhood, and oblige 
her to remove her school to some other locality. 

These facts seemed to indicate to Miss Ware 
the necessity of an entire change of her ar- 
rangements. She must soon leave India Point. 
Should she leave the city, or commence the 
same labour again in some other of its suburbs ? 
Should she determine upon the latter course, 
she would be beset by the same obstacles, and 
find her most promising plans defeated by the 
perversity of parents. What she longed and 
prayed for was, some home where she could 
gather the children around her, separate them 
from corrupt associates, train them for useful- 
ness, cultivate their moral nature, and then 
place them in situations where they might grow 
up in habits of usefulness. 

On this subject she at sundry times conversed 
with me. I could not but become deeply in- 
terested in her views. Here was a woman ad- 
mirably qualified for the task, whose most 



MEMOIR OF 



earnest desire it was to devote her life to the 
work of rescuing orphan children, and children 
frequently more unfortunate than orphans, 
from almost certain destruction, and transform- 
ing them into valuable members of society. 
She would have scorned a remuneration, had it 
been offered her. All she wanted was, to do 
the good at any personal sacrifice. The mere 
opportunity of thus being useful to these friend- 
less little ones, was, I truly believe, vastly 
more attractive to her than the most brilliant 
situation of which the mind can conceive. 

It seemed to me that Divine Providence 
must smile on efforts dictated by a spirit so 
eminently Christian and self-sacrificing ; and 
that, at any rate, the design was not to be 
abandoned without an effort. It happened 
that I was at that time engaged in the instruc- 
tion of a Bible-class of ladies, of various de- 
nominations of Christians, in Providence. I 
requested Miss Ware to attend the next meet- 
ing ; and, at the close of the exercises, I stated 
the facts, and requested her to add such ex- 



HARRIET WARE. 89 






planations as she saw fit. The persons present 
entered warmly into the plan, and with a cheer- 
fulness of benevolence characteristic of the 
ladies of Providence, several of them at once 
volunteered to solicit subscriptions in behalf 
of the object. In a few days between five and 
six hundred dollars were collected. This was 
abundantly sufficient for the present purpose, 
which was only to give the experiment a fair 
trial. A small house was rented, and furnished 
in the cheapest manner, and the effort was thus 
commenced. A society was formed, and ladies 
of the most suitable character, from various 
denominations, were willing to superintend the 
management of the institution. Thus com- 
menced the " Providence Children's Friend 
Society." 

The house was soon filled to overflowing. 
Another, and more commodious house was soon 
rented. The institution became known through- 
out the city, and its merits were duly appre- 
ciated. It was seen that Miss Ware possessed 
a remarkable talent for conducting such an 



90 MEMOIR OF 



establishment. To her rare capacity for in- 
structing the young and for improving their 
moral nature, she added a skill in practical 
economy by which every dollar was made to 
do all the good that a dollar could do. It was 
scarcely possible to conceive how so large a 
family could be supported at so small an ex- 
pense. Yet, there was in this economy no- 
thing approaching to penuriousness. She was 
one of the most generous persons I have ever 
known. Her children were ail well fed and 
clothed ; they were in high health, happy and 
joyous. The secret was, that she allowed no- 
thing to be wasted. Nothing was ever thrown 
away, w T hile it could be put to any use, and she 
was peculiarly ingenious in finding a use for 
every thing. The children all loved her as a 
mother, and she felt for them more than a 
common parental affection. 

When the second house was found inade- 
quate to the purposes of the establishment, it 
was determined by some benevolent ladies and 
gentlemen to purchase a site where it could be 



HARRIET WARE. 91 



permanently accommodated. A convenient 
house, with ample grounds, in a very pleasant 
part of the city, was bought by subscription, 
and presented to the society. Thither Miss 
Ware removed in the year 1836, and there she 
continued until her death. 

Though the number of the children under her 
care was increased, and the means at her dis- 
posal enlarged, yet there was no change what- 
ever in her management of the institution. 
She was able to receive now about fifty, and' 
the liberality of the citizens of Providence 
always supplied her with whatever she needed 
for their support. Still, however, the same 
rigorous economy was observed, and the same 
self-denial put in practice; the same vigi- 
lant care watched over every friendless child, 
whether in health or sickness ; and if there hap- 
pened to be one peculiarly destitute and feeble, 
requiring her attention by day and by night, 
that one was sure to be especially beloved. The 
result has been, that by her exertions an in- 
stitution for orphan children has been esta- 



92 MEMOIR OF 



Wished in this city, of a most interesting cha- 
racter ; that it has ever held a high place in 
the esteem of our citizens, and promises long to 
disseminate the richest blessings among the 
orphan children of our community. 

If it be asked, What was the secret of this 
success ? How was it that a young woman, 
almost wholly unknown, and wholly destitute 
of means, should have been enabled to accom- 
plish so great an amount of good ? I think the 
'answer is obvious. She acted on principles 
peculiar to the gospel of Christ. She was, in 
the first place, sincerely and earnestly desirous 
to do good ; and, to accomplish! this purpose, 
was willing to make any personal sacrifice. In 
the next place, she puts this desire into prac- 
tice, by engaging in the first benevolent labour 
that was placed before her. She did not wait 
until something precisely in harmony with her 
intellectual tastes or social affections should 
present itself, but undertook the first work that 
her Master placed before her. Nay, she her- 
self rather chose the humblest and most self- 



HARRIET WARE. 93 



denying labour, as that which would best pro- 
mote her spiritual interests, and bear to her 
own bosom the most abiding conviction that 
she was labouring for God. In the next place 
she commenced the labour herself, and was the 
pioneer of the whole undertaking. Instead of 
going about to secure aid and encouragement 
before she began, she began first, and trusted 
that aid and support would come as they were 
needed. As soon as she commenced upon these 
principles, the providence of God sent her as- 
sistants in abundance. Every one saw that 
she was willing to labour herself, and do every 
thing in her power before she called for aid, 
and that the aid required was not for her, but 
for the cause. Every one was thus pleased with 
the opportunity of being associated with her. 
We all love to co-operate with an honest and 
earnest labourer, who is able to go alone ; 
while we all draw back from associating with a 
doer of good, who, full of good intentions, and 
desirous of leading in a worthy enterprise, 
must always be fed by other men's hands, and 



94 MEMOIR OF 



be carried on other men's shoulders. When a 
sacrifice was to be made, Miss Ware instinc- 
tively and quietly made it herself. Her exam- 
ple was contagious. The same spirit was com- 
municated to those associated with her; and 
thus, all making sacrifices for the cause, the 
cause of necessity prospered, and in the end 
she prospered with it. 

In the next place, she was emphatically a 
woman of faith. By this I do not of course 
mean merely a believer in Christ, but some- 
thing more. She received the promises of the 
gospel as the assurances of a kind and ever 
watchful Parent, on which she might rely in 
every time of need. She obeyed literally the 
command, " Be ye careful for nothing, but, in 
every thing, by prayer and supplication, make 
your wants known unto God." When she 
needed aid^ she applied to God before she ap- 
plied to man, and very frequently she found 
that the former application rendered the latter 
unnecessary; for, either while she was yet 
speaking the answer was received, or else, the 



HARRIET WARE. 95 



hearts of her friends were so directed that she 
had only to mention the subject, and the need- 
ful aid was afforded. She did not often men- 
tion such things, lest she should seem to boast 
of her piety, which she above all things ab- 
horred; yet, it was evident from the whole 
tenor of her conversation, that her memory 
was filled with them. Many of these instances 
she had, I believe, recorded, as an encourage- 
ment to others, when, from the fear that it 
might be otherwise interpreted, she committed 
the manuscript to the flames. 

In the year 1845, (or perhaps the year pre- 
ceding,) the first symptoms appeared of that 
malady which at last proved fatal. Her mo- 
ther had died of cancer, and she seems to have 
inherited a tendency to the same disorder. In 
the hope of arresting its progress, and thus en- 
abling herself to devote a little more of life to 
her orphans, she submitted to two surgical ope- 
rations, but without ultimate success. It was 
while absent from home for medical treatment, 
that several of the letters in the present chap- 



96 MEMOIR OF 



ter were written. They exhibit in a clear light 
the strongly marked elements of her character, 
and show, that, under all circumstances, the 
Lord was her support and her salvation. 

The disease at last became seated in the 
internal viscera, where it was beyond the reach 
of human aid. She at first dreaded the intense 
pain to which patients in this complaint are 
frequently subjected. In this respect, how- 
ever, her prayer was heard, and her suffering 
was far less than she had feared. She had 
but little pain, strictly so called, but a sort of 
indescribable nervous restlessness, that was at 
times almost intolerable. 

It was during this gradual decline of her 
strength, that most of the following letters 
were written. She was enabled to take short 
excursions during the summer, and also inquire 
by letter concerning the welfare of her orphans. 
But, as her strength failed, she confined her 
efforts to the house, assisting in every labour to 
which her physical power was competent. It 
was a sore trial to her to feel that she could do 



HAKRIET WARE. 97 



nothing more, but this trial was not imposed 
upon her until a few days before her death. 






Wells, August 26, 1845. 

I know not whether you have kept any 
track of your old friend, but I shall venture to 
conclude you have not, and give you a brief 
history of myself for the last fifteen or sixteen 
years, when, as near as I can remember, I 
wrote you from Hopkinton, where I was then 
teaching school. 

In the spring of 1832, I received a letter 
from a friend in Providence, describing the 
situation of a destitute and degraded neighbour- 
hood in the south part of the city, where the 
parents, grand-parents, and children, with but 
few exceptions, could not read, and had never 
received religious instruction. She thought 
that if a school could be established the're, 
good might be done, and had no doubt but 
the " School and Tract Society" would render 



98 MEMOIR OF 



needed assistance. It struck me at once as 
being the place for me, as I had always wished 
that I was fit to be, if nothing more, " a drawer 
of water" among the heathen; but ever felt 
that I was neither worth sending nor going by 
myself. Accordingly, about the middle of 
April, I left Hopkinton and went to Provi- 
dence. But when I came to consult those 
whose approbation I thought necessary, I found 
the object was too unpopular to meet with an 
encouraging word, except from one Christian 
woman. Of course I must go to work on my 
own responsibility, or not at all. I succeeded 
in obtaining a room in a house occupied by 
three miserable drunken families, the only one 
I could find, and the first week in May com- 
menced my school. Mr. Phillips, the Baptist 
minister, nearest to the school, and the Sab- 
bath-school agent, treated me with kindness 
and attention. Most others regarded me as 
little less degraded than the neighbourhood 
where I had chosen to fix my habitation. My 
school prospered, a Sabbath-school was organ- 



HARRIET WARE. 99 



izecl the first Sabbath, but nobody would assist 
in teaching, till, after two months had passed 
away, the wife of the president, and one of the 
professors in college, called on me. Mrs. W., 
when she left, put some money into my hands, 
saying her husband wished to see me for some- 
thing in particular, and wished I would call ; 
I did so soon after, and was received with the 
greatest kindness, and an offer of assistance in 
any way I might require. From that time I 
was liberally supplied with teachers from the 
college ; of course the current was turned, and 
popularity was the enemy to be feared. God, 
however, in great mercy, poured out his spirit, 
and some, I have still great reason to hope, 
were adopted into the family of Christ. 

The next winter I had an evening school, 
attended by men and women, some of whom 
were more than fifty years of age, who learned 
to read and write. It has interested me ex- 
ceedingly to learn, that three years ago, in a 
revival, many heads of families, who learned 



100 MEMOIR OF 



the alphabet at that school, were converted, 
and now read the Bible in their families. 

There was much that was interesting, during 
the three years I remained there, which I now 
record in memory, as belonging to the most 
eventful period of my life. I very soon be- 
came convinced that where children were ex- 
posed to the very worst influence from vile and 
drunken parents at home, but little could be 
done in school to train them to become good 
and industrious citizens ; and succeeded in 
persuading most of the parents to let their 
children go to good places in the country. 
But, as the parents retained a legal right to 
recall their children, they would often do it. 
Other efforts made in various ways and by 
various societies, for the benefit of the children 
of the poor and vile, were found to fail of 
securing fixed habits of industry and an influ- 
ence favourable to their present and future 
good. "While at India Point, (for there was the 
eventful spot,) I often found myself rearing my 
Babylon of straw, which would always be in 



HARRIET WARE. 101 



the form of a great house, where I was living 
with poor children, entirely independent of 
their vile parents. Little did I then think, 
when roused from my reveries, what God in his 
wise and merciful Providence was preparing. 

Some time in the summer of 1835, I ven- 
tured to talk with Dr. W. about the obstacles 
in the way of accomplishing much toward 
making good citizens of the class of children 
for whom so much had been done. It seemed 
that his own mind had been dwelling on the 
same subject, and at once the plan was pro- 
jected of something like an asylum for unpro- 
tected children. It was soon named to a few 
others, and when presented to the public it 
seemed that the public mind was prepared to 
hail it. Dr. Vf . named it to a Bible-class of 
ladies under his care, and they volunteered to 
make collections sufficient to warrant a begin- 
ning by way of experiment. Between five and 
six hundred dollars were raised, and the first 
Tuesday in October, several ladies met to- 
gether, formed a society, and adopted a consti- 



102 MEMOIR OF 



tution previously drawn up, by the name of 
the Providence Childrens Friends' Society. 
The first day of November I commenced house- 
keeping, with one little boy, in a small tene- 
ment for which we paid but fifty dollars rent. 
This was commenced simply as an experiment ; 
and, notwithstanding my sanguine tempera- 
ment, I rather expected it would fail than suc- 
ceed. I will not enter into detail, but suffice it 
to say, we were able to add to our tenement in 
the spring, so that we paid eighty dollars ; yet 
before the close of the year, our family in- 
creased so, that we were obliged to spread six 
beds on the floor at night, for want of room to 
set up bedsteads. The next November we 
moved into a larger house with thirty-four 
children. Toward the close of that year, a 
large, convenient house, with gardens and suf- 
ficient play-ground, was purchased in the west 
part of the city. The location is elevated and 
healthy, and the prospect of almost the whole 
city delightful. 

Our tenth year is almost completed, and as 



HARRIET WARE. 103 



we look back upon all the way which our God 
has led us, we can but exclaim with joy and 
gratitude, Surely goodness and mercy have 
followed us every step of the way. You will 
not infer that we have had no trials, that no 
clouds have gathered over us, thick and dark, 
threatening to destroy us. Oh no ! God has 
been too merciful to allow us to be ruined with 
prosperity. But I believe he has given us as 
much success as we could possibly bear. Our 
bread and our water has not failed, and never 
for a moment have I believed that He who 
feeds the ravens has ever sent us a child to be 
starved. We have never known the w r ant of 
kind and efficient friends, whose sympathy and 
counsel has been exceedingly valuable. For 
three years previous to this, our family of 
children has averaged forty-seven. About 
ninety, who have been legally adopted into the 
family, are now provided with good homes, and 
are learning to earn their living, or rather are 
earning it. About half that number have also 
been thus provided for, who were never adopted 



104 MEMO IE OF 



into the family. The present prospects of 
these children are generally as good as those of 
the children of our most respectable citizens. 

One more circumstance that has contributed 
much to my essential happiness, is, that a 
friend that I loved very much, and who had 
contributed much to my help and comfort at 
India Point, called on me the first day I com- 
menced house-keeping, without intending to 
remain, but has never yet left me. She has 
proved an invaluable assistant to me. I think 
I love her more than I ever loved any other 
being of earth. Thus you see God has richly 
provided employment, comfortable support, and 
probably more enjoyment than I could have 
had in almost any other situation. 

You recollect, my dear C, something of my 
uniform good health. Up to the present time 
I have enjoyed an unusual share of that bless- 
ing. The first five years in our family, I was 
obliged to keep myself so constantly fatigued 
for the want of suitable help, that I suffered 
much for the time being ; but, when I was not 



HARRIET WARE. 105 



obliged to labour so hard, found my consti- 
tution unimpaired. My general health is now 
good, but for three years past I have suf- 
fered from a local disease, similar to my 
mother's, and am now under a course of treat- 
ment for it. * * * 

I will close this long letter with acknowledg- 
ing the great goodness of my God and Saviour 
toward me as a sinner — I hope a renewed 
sinner. You know I have long professed to 
be a disciple of Christ. I can now look back 
over the twenty-four years since I united with 
the church, and see many green spots, where I 
have been brought to feel that I knew some- 
thing of the import of perfect peace, but have 
generally felt that my religion was rather spe- 
culative and intellectual than spiritual. I 
have always loved the doctrine of a universal 
and particular Providence ; and in a multitude 
of dark and trying circumstances incident to 
my peculiar situation, I have rejoiced that I 
could stand upon the immovable rock, and say, 
" Thou, God, doest it, therefore I should be 



106 MEMOIR OF 



dumb, and open not my mouth/' Yet much 
of the time I have been worldly in my affec- 
tions. The fact is, I have not had enough of 
Christ in my religion, to keep it warm and 
active. But let me say to the praise of free, 
rich, sovereign grace, that the blessed Saviour 
has, for a few years past, been gradually lead- 
ing me to a better acquaintance with himself. 
I think I am not deceived in believing that I 
know something of his precious love e I would 
love to tell you that I have found sustaining 
efficacy, in view of suffering and death, in the 
precious name of Christ my Saviour. Yes, 
precious name, God, Man, Mediator; but I 
cannot write more now. 



Providence, August 26, 1842. 
I want to tell you, but I cannot, how infi- 
nitely good God has been to me. I should 
love to tell you how exceedingly precious 
Christ has appeared to me. I have always 






HA&RXET WARE. 107 



believed In him as having died for sin eighteen 
hundred years ago, and gone away into hea- 
ven ; and sometimes have rejoiced in him as an 
intercessor at the right hand of the Father. 
But this is not the blessedness of knowing him 
as a present Saviour. I dare not say much, 
but if I am not deceived, I have been enabled 
to pray that you and myself, with all the re- 
deemed, may have the daily experience of 
the fifteenth chapter of John. You will smile, 

I suppose, if I quote from Mr. — , but he one 

day said to me that there were three baptisms ; 
first, being baptized unto Moses in the cloud ; 
next, John's baptism unto repentance ; and, 
lastly, there was such a thing as being baptized 
unto Christ. I have certainly had the first, I 
believe the second, and I do now desire, at 
least, to be baptized into the fulness of Christ. 

Dear M -, take hold of the strength of the 

omnipotent Saviour. Rejoice exceedingly, that 
you may consecrate your entire being to him 
who died for us, that from henceforth we should 
not live unto ourselves. 



108 MEMOIR OE 



Salem, April 4, 1845. 
I think I love to feel that all is perfectly 
understood by Him who sees the end from the 
beginning. I know most assuredly, and if I 
am not deceived, I rejoice in the assurance, 
that the holy, wise, and good purposes of God 
correspond in perfect exactness with his provi- 
dential dealings with me. The hair and the 
sparrow in my affairs will not be regarded with 
indifference by my Father God. Oh ! the con- 
descension of my heavenly Father. Let those 
who will, sweep the purposes of God and his 
universal providence from — from what ? — from 
their creeds and their hearts; for from the 
immutable, unerring Word, they cannot. It 
there stands out in bold relief, a link in the 
golden chain, a precious link, which, if removed, 
would leave us but a broken fragment. Dear 

Miss G , I have had leisure to think, and I 

love to think of that beautiful, perfect system of 
truth and doctrine revealed in the Bible, all 
profitable for our instruction in righteousness. 



HARRIET WARE. 109 



Salem, April 30, 1845. 

Your welcome, doubly welcome letter was 
received yesterday, while at brother E— — 's. I 
would have answered it the same hour if I 
could, I did not think you would write till 
John was away, and I hardly wished you to y 
for I could feel no interest in any thing else ; 
neither could I feel any interest in writing even 
to you, for I could think best in connection with 
him. How delightful to think, that that same 
Being, who has from time to time melted his 
obduracy and warmed his heart with tender and 
generous affections, and especially who so sig- 
nally manifested his goodness in every circum- 
stance connected with his leaving us, has his 
heart in his hand, and can, and I believe will? 
bring him to himself. We shall, of course, have 
very many anxious hours about him, but we will 
not forget who holds the winds in his fist, and says 
to the stormy billows, Peace, be still. My dear 

E , you will, won't you, speak a word for the 

goodness of God in view of his kind providence ? 

10 



110 MEMOIR OF 



Could the whole concern be put into my 
hands or yours, I think I would not be willing. 
I do feel I am in the best- of hands. The doc- 
trine of a universal Providence was never more 
precious to me than now. I only want to be 
more humble, more penitent, more broken- 
hearted, that I may more and more see the 
transcendent excellence, beauty and glory of 
Christ, the Lamb of God, who taketh away the 
sins of the world. I hope I have some present 
evidence of loving him as God, man, mediator, 
as prophet, priest and king ; but know and feel 
that my spiritual vision is greatly blinded by 
reason of sin. It is a matter of almost con- 
stant wonder, that the patience of infinite for- 
bearance itself has not become exhausted. 
Surely the mercy of God in Christ is infinite — 
infinite love, love that loved us while enemies. 
I know our time for writing, or talking, or 
making our own calling and election sure, will 
soon be over. Let us improve the present. 

May . — You will probably receive this 



HARRIET WARE. Ill 



on board-nieeting clay. Remember me very 
affectionately to every member present. Tell 
tbem I appreciate all their kindness, and love 
to feel that they will have patience with my 
long absence. I feel that I am away from home; 
but my thoughts of home, and those who^ for 
so many years, have done so much to render it 
a pleasant home, are among my sweetest 
thoughts of earth. 

May 30. — I can never think of staying away 
from home so long ; the thought of it will keep 
me homesick all the time. I don't know what 
to do. I am afraid if I should decide upon 
such a long campaign, that I should be out of 
patience myself, and think after all I had been 
foolish ; and then what should I do if the board 
should get out of patience ? I can't expect 
them to wait for ever ; and certainly I should 
much rather my life should be shortened than 
protracted, if I am not to think of that dear 
spot, with all its loved associations, as home. I 
know I am just now very much under the im- 



112 MEMOIR OF 



pulse of feeling, and it rather seems to me I 
don't feel quite right. I have thought I was 
following the leadings of -Providence, and was 
in the way of my duty, and that I was willing, 
and should love to put a blank into the hand 
of my Father in heaven, for him to fill just as 
his own wisdom (not mine) and goodness should 
direct. But really this does not look much like 
it. I know if I commit my way to the Lord, 
my doings will be established. I know that, 
by creation and preservation, I belong to God 
as his rightful property, and if he has made me 
his by regeneration and adoption, why should I 
set up for myself ? The Lord humble and for- 
give me for my distrust, impatience, and, above 
all, ingratitude. If the Lord hath further need 

of me, with you, my dearest E , in that 

long loved and cherished home, in the midst of 
those I love — yes, I can truly say, the objects 
of my warmest affections — he will certainly re- 
turn me to the spot, at the very moment I am 
needed; and if he gives me the signal, very 
gladly will I make haste. 



HARRIET WARE. 113 



June 7. — * * * Now about my coming home. 
It seems to me that I was nearer right in my cal- 
culations than the doctor, for I think I can see 
an improvement since I came from Boston last 
week ; but I guess the secret, after all, is to be 
willing, I mean more than just willing, that 
God should make his own appointments, instead 
of our making them for him. Let us rather 
pray that God would not withdraw his hand 
until this dispensation of Providence has had 
the effect which it ought, and will have, if 
rightly improved, upon both of us. The Lord 
preserve me from ever thinking again (as I 
have often been tempted to do) that he hath 
use of me. If a desire to be useful has any 
thing to do with my strong desire to be at home, 
let it satisfy me that God chooses I should do 
my duty in the place and circumstances in 
which he sees best to keep me, and I am satis- 
fied this ought to be very much with my own 
heart. The prayer of David, I believe, ought 
to be mine. " Search me and know my heart ;" 

that is, cause me to know it. " Cleanse thou 
10* 



114 MEMOIR OF 



me from secret faults." God has sometimes 
given me great freedom in praying for you and 
our loved ones at home ; especially our older 
children, and the girls in particular. If I 
might constantly feel to plead with God in 
prayer and faith, I should think it well worth 
while to be kept tied up for some time longer. 

June 14. — -Certainly we have continued proof 
of the kind interposition of Providence in be- 
half of our family, as well as ourselves. God 
does watch over us for good, and we should be 
most ungrateful not to acknowledge it, not in 
words only, but in heart and life. 

Sunday Evening. — I can hardly refrain 
from adding a few lines to this sheet this even- 
ing. Heard Mr. W — — preach this morning 
from the text, " Every heart knoweth its own bit- 
terness," &c. ; a sermon probably occasioned 
by the death of a young lady in his parish. I 
have seldom realized as vividly the sundering 
of the dearest and sweetest ties of earth ; and 



HARRIET WARE. 115 



the thought, that so many that I love with the 
warmest affection, are giving no evidence of a 
preparation for heaven, seems completely over- 
whelming. 

Dearest E., do not your thoughts dwell with 
delightful interest upon the surpassing tender- 
ness of a Saviour's love ? Think of the height 
and depth and length and breadth of the love 
of Christ I Oh no, we cannot begin to think ; 
but, dear E., we can see, that if our sins were 
a thousand to one, and our hearts a thousand 
times more hard and proud and obstinate than 
they are, it would not, all combined, form the 
fraction of an obstacle in the way of going 
with all to Christ, to be humbled, subdued, 
melted, and made white, fitted for the exalted 
service of God and the Lamb. 

I suppose about this time our dear children 
are singing their evening hymn. I would give 
more to hear them sing their hymns that they 
usually sing on Sabbath eve, than all the music I 

have over heard or ever shall in S -. I have 

thought, in connection with their singing and 



116 MEMOIR OF 



other things, of dear little Margaret. Have 
the children sung her hymn to-day ? I seem to 
know she sings it now, " in -sweeter notes than 
angels use." If you are not here next Sab- 
bath, let me feel that at half-past six o'clock, 
P. M.j our children will sing Margaret's hymn. 



Salem, July 28. 
I hops you have not been anxious about me 
on account of a little delay. I know you are 
too anxious, and wish you would try to remem- 
ber that you and I, with all we most dearly 
love, are just as much the objects of the kind 
care of our heavenly Father, as if he had none 
but us to care for* 



Salem, May 5, 1845. 
* * * And now let me say a word, which I 
wish may become one pleasant subject of our 



HARRIET WARE* 117 



daily thoughts, and that it may have its proper 
influence over the remnant of our lives. It is 
that we both familiarize ourselves with the sub- 
ject of death. Not of death in general, but of 
our individual separation from this world, and 
entrance into another. We both well know this 
subject can be cheerful, only as we look at it 
in connection with Christ, God, Man, Mediator. 

I am a miracle of wonder to myself. I won- 
der how I can see all this, (as I seem to see it, 
through a glass, very darkly indeed,) and not 
feel my whole soul on fire. Yet this is so far 
from being the case, that I fear exceedingly 
lest I should become as worldly as ever. I 
need an overcoming, abiding faith in Christ, 
and without it I know I can do nothing. I 
think my hold on life is greatly loosened, if not 
broken. 

I desire that we both may be very thankful 
for these gentle, yet emphatic warnings, of 
what at furthest cannot be far from me. Surely 
I cannot be taken by surprise, without criminal 
forgetfulness on my own part. Dearest, shall 



118 MEMOIR OF 



we not learn to contemplate death as our friend 
and restorer, and not as an enemy to be feared ? 



Salem, August 3, 1845. 
It will be board-meeting Tuesday. Give 
my best love to the ladies of the board; I 
shall think of them at that hour, and if they 
have a petition to offer for me, be it that I 
may be more like Christ. It has been among 
my sweetest thoughts, that my God and Sa- 
viour was truly man. That he, not only as 
God, knew our frailty and infirmities, but, as 
man, has known them by experience. There 
is sustaining efficacy in the full belief that the 
Saviour sympathizes with us in our deepest 
sufferings ; that he is touched with the feel- 
ing of our infirmities, as nothing short of in- 
finite tenderness and love, united with expe- 
rience, could do. Infinite indeed is that love, 
that would stoop from the highest throne in 
heaven, and, for the sake of vile creatures like 






HARRIET WARE. 119 



lis, take upon himself a body like ours, and 
after enduring every variety of suffering, offer 
it, once for all, a sacrifice for our sins, that 
God might be just, and the justifier of him that 
belioveth in Jesus, 



Wells, Sept. 1, 1845, 
* * * Think of the amazing sacrifice of leav- 
ing his throne, being born of a woman, in a 
manger, a human body, and rational soul, heir 
to every variety of physical and mental suffer- 
ing, in his whole life fulfilling the perfect law 
of love to God and man, ever doing good to 
the souls and bodies of men, sympathizing with 
the afflicted, so gentle and kind that even little 
children were not afraid to approach him. 
Gh, what infinite condescension! He knew 
our ignorance, weakness, and blindness, and 
how difficult it is, in our fallen state, to form 
right conceptions of the great God ; and there- 
fore, in our own form and nature, he mani- 



120 MEMO IE ¥ 



fested the perfect mind and spirit of Him, who 
says He is Love. And all this was but a 
prelude to his dying agony, and dying prayer. 
And then think of both the promise and fulfil- 
ment of the Spirit, to all who would ask for its 
influences. This kind and gentle Spirit does 
take the things of Christ, and show them to all 
who will see Jesus. And now the merciful 
assurance, that he not only lives a merciful 
High-Priest, to sympathize with the afflicted^ 
support the weak and trembling, and succour 
the tempted, but is an all-prevalent Intercessor 
for all who will commit their cause to him. 



Wells, Sept. 5, 1845, 

My Dear Friend — How much I love you? 
and thank you too, for your generosity and 
kindness, bestowed upon a poor, worthless, in- 
efficient friend, sinful, liable to change, and 
who at best may and will drop out of your 
sight at any moment when this same God and 



HARRIET WARE. 121 



Saviour, whom you neglect, shall speak the 
word. The same kind of affection and confi- 
dence you bestow upon one so unworthy, just 
transfer to Him, and all will be well. You 
will not love me the less, nor I you. What 
you say of his being beyond the utmost 
stretch of your dark vision, is all right. But, 

dear , you must neither be afraid to sit 

humbly at his feet, or lie quietly in his arms. 
If you can't see, he can, and that is enough. 
Just trust yourself to him, and you have 
nothing to fear. I have just read a beautiful 
sentiment in Phillip's " Love of the Spirit," 
viz. " That the Spirit does not testify of itself, 
nor of you, but of Christ." 

Your kind advice for me to remain, might 
tempt me, but I want to be at home too much 
to be tempted even by that. And then I 
do not need further quiet to restore health, 
for I think it is restored; not but what I 
think I have been deceived about my strength, 
and I now think Monday would have been a 
little too soon ; but next Monday will be 



11 



122 MEMOIR OF 



exactly right. And then, again, what do you 
think the Lord has been so signally gracious to 
me, both physically, socially, and spiritually, 
for ? Is it to be set up for all my friends to 
pay tribute to, that I may enjoy myself; or to 
come, or rather go to my long loved and che- 
rished home to live with you and the dear 
children whom I love as my own life ? 

And now, a word for dear little M . I 

am afraid, if it is not all over with her now, it 
will be before I get home. Do you tell her any 
thing about the Saviour, and how she must 
give herself to him, and how he will love to 
receive and bless her, and make her happy if 
she will ? 

Dear little R , I love her for the associ- 
ations; but how thankful should we be that- 
she is removed beyond the reach of the chilling 
blasts of this cold world, or any of the de- 
basing influences of earth ! 

I am more and more satisfied, I am certain, 
that there is a meaning in the promises of 
God, and Christ, in the assurances of his love 






HARRIET WARE. 123 



and faithfulness, that we shall find has indeed 
been poorly understood, and yet more poorly 
believed and trusted. It is not so strange, 
that we should be tempted to doubt whether 
we can be loved by a Being of infinite purity ; 
and it would seem that to meet those rea- 
sonable doubts, he has not only multiplied 
assurances to an almost infinite extent, but 
has given pledges and earnests, as though he 
would not require credit to be given to simple 
testimony of truth itself. Strange that He 
should love us, but infinitely stranger that we 
do not love Him, though our own souls should 
sink to ruin as we deserve. Truly it is said, 
God is love. Oh, I seem to know I am not 
mistaken in this, that " while we were yet sin- 
ners, Christ died fcr us." 

" Amazing pity, grace unknown, 
And love beyond degree." 



124 



MEMOIR OF 



Providence, Feb. 7, 1846, 
It is my candid opinion that I am hence- 
forth to regard myself as " a minute man/' 
liable to be called for at a very short notice. 

Dear M , I cannot "write as would be natural 

to a loved one, without being much overcome, 
my nerves are so weak. But we will be thank- 
ful that I can think, and talk, and write with 
calmness and pleasure, of a beautiful city but 
just before us, "that hath foundations, whose 
builder and maker is God, 5 ' our God, in whom 
we confidently trust. I have never felt as 
much elated as some of whom I have read and 
heard, but thanks, everlasting thanks, to free, 
rich, sovereign grace, that I have enjoyed a 
calm, steady peace, an unshaken confidence in 
the perfections of God. I have been able to 
contemplate with delightful interest that sys- 
tem of old-fashioned doctrines to which we 
used to listen in our younger years, and they 
seem to flow as naturally from the perfections 
of God, as water from a spring. 



HARRIET WARE. 125 



On this point let me ever be understood as 
placing Christ where divine sovereignty used 
to be placed in our early instructions. I love 
to look back upon this pleasant world, with 
which I thought I had done. At no hour of 
my life did I ever more fully believe than now, 
that "the whole earth is full of thy glory." I 
love my long-loved friend, — in short, I love to 
live ; and if one's sympathies and interests are 
with Christ, I know not why an angel might 
not covet the facilities that are everywhere 
presented for doing good. 



Westerly, Nov. 26, 1846. 
On this Thanksgiving morning, I hardly 
know how to enjoy being separated from my 
own dear home. So wonderful has been the 
goodness of God toward us as a family, and 
toward me in particular, the past year, that in 
the midst of our family group, I would most 
love to acknowledge our obligation of gratitude, 



126 MEMOIR OF 



and devotion of heart and life to the God that 
made us and the Saviour that redeemed us. 
Three that we lovcd 7 and- who shared in this 
last annual festival with us, are now entered 
upon their unchanging state, and, with the dear 
babe we so tenderly loved, are very distinctly 
in my mind and heart. I cannot save myself 
the query. Who will be among the missing at 
our next Thanksgiving? How very desirable 
that we should all feel the importance of being 
in preparation ourselves, and doing all we can 
that others should be prepared to join in the 
unceasing song of praise to the Lamb that was 
slain that we might live. I wonder not half as 
much at the stupidity of all the world beside, 
as at my own worldly spirit. When shall I 
learn to "overcome the world V 9 

I find my old friends a little scattered, and 
am certainly humbled at the deep feeling they 
manifest. They say they never expected to see 
me again, and seem to feel that all who were 
ever my friends or pupils will feel grieved and 
wounded, if I do not, at least, give them the 






HARRIET WARE. 127 



opportunity to come "where I may be found. 
Nobody seems to expect that I shall take much 
trouble to go anywhere, but they will go any- 
where to see me. I, of course, feel that this 
is my last visit, and if I leave Hopkinton next 
week, I shall do well. 



The following notice of Miss "Ware's last 
illness has been furnished by a lady who had 
been for many years her constant associate and 
intimate friend : — =• 

The dangerous illness with which Miss Ware 
was afflicted two years previous to her decease, 
had impressed her with the abiding conviction, 
that death could not be far from her. She 
was, from that period, constantly preparing for 
a summons to that w T orld in which she had laid 
up such rich treasures. She considered the 
prolonging of her life after that critical period, 
as an answer to prayer. She had at that time 
an anxious desire to live to se« the accomplish- 



128 



MEMOIR OF 



ment of a cherished plan in regard to the ii 
stitution, in whose interests her whole heart had 
1 centered. The building was too contracted and 
inconvenient for the well-being of the large 
family it was required to contain. To have it 
enlarged, with ample accommodations for bath- 
ing, and a convenient school-room, was her 
earnest desire. A generous public readily ac- 
ceded to it, and it had scarcely been completed 
ere its noble-minded projector was again con- 
fined to her own apartment, which she never 
left, till she was removed from it to the repose 
of the grave. 

The last time she met with the family was 
on a Sabbath afternoon, seven weeks previous 
to her decease. It was her custom, at that time, 
to give the children instruction on religious 
subjects. She gave a simple explanation of an 
important Christian doctrine to the little group, 
and then, with great tenderness and earnestness, 
addressed the older ones, urging them now to 
make their "calling and election sure." It was 
a most solemn and precious season, although 



HARRIET WARE. 129 



we did not anticipate it would be the last time 
we thus should meet. She did not suffer much 
pain until the last days of her life. Her mind 
was clear and active till the close. She re- 
quested to have her grave-clothes purchased, 
and sent for a person to come and sit in her 
room while they were made. Every arrange- 
ment for the interests of the family that it was 
in her power to make, was calmly and intelli- 
gently imparted to the ladies of the board who 
saw her. She had so perfectly prepared for 
her anticipated decease, that she seemed in 
these last weeks of her life to have but little to 
do, but patiently await the event. When asked 
if she had no counsels to give to the older 
members of the family, she replied, "I believe 
I have said all that I could to them." 

She had but one anxiety to disturb her per- 
fect peace of mind, and that was, the provision 
of a home for the little girl she had adopted ; 
and when a letter arrived from a beloved friend 
assenting to her request to receive her into her 
family, she seemed to feci that every wish was 



130 MEMOIR OF 



gratified. Her constant theme was the good- 
ness of God : God had been so good to her in 
permitting her to see all her plans completed, 
was the constantly recurring thought. 

She had suffered much anxiety in relation to 
the form her disease might assume, lest she 
should become repulsive to her friends ; and on 
finding that it was to be wholly of an internal 
character, such was the relief to her mind that 
her gratitude for the kindness of her heavenly 
Father, in thus dissipating her fears, seemed 
unbounded. It was manifested in every word, 
in every look. It did indeed seem as if her 
every prayer was answered. The 14th, 15th, and 
16th chapters of John were the favourite por- 
tions of Scripture which she often wished to hear 
when she was too feeble to peruse them herself. 

The last day was one of much suffering. She 
frequently wished to be moved, but forbore 
manifesting the desire, for fear of injuring her 
friends by requiring their aid in lifting her. 
Her thoughts were, as ever, of others more 
than of herself. 



HARRIET WARE. 131 



My last interview with Miss Ware was but a 
few days before her death. I found her in a 
state of great bodily weakness. She was sit- 
ting in an armed chair, in a reclining posture, 
which was about the only one which the nature 
of her maladies would allow her to take. 

All who ever made her acquaintance, were 
doubtless more or less impressed with the 
thought that she was a remarkable woman ; 
but here, peculiarly, in this " chamber where 
she met her fate," all who were admitted were 
deeply impressed with the fact that she was a 
remarkable Christian. Her intimate friends 
did not need the testimony of that strong and 
abiding faith in God, which was drawn from her 
closing hours. She had borne this testimony 
amid life's busiest scenes, and in its most active 
duties. But if the evidence before seemed full 
and satisfactory, now, to me, it seemed com- 
plete, overwhelming. She was about to enter 
the "dark valley. ,, The grave stood open be- 
fore her, and the vesture in which she was 
to enter it was all prepared. 



132 . MEMOIR OF 



She spoke to me " of the decease which she 
should accomplish," with the greatest compo- 
sure and resignation. " I feel," said she, " that 
my work on earth is done. I have been brought 
very low under the power of disease before this, 
but never before could I feel that my hour had 
come. There was always some object to be 
accomplished, which lay near my heart, and 
seemed to demand my efforts. But now I feel 
that all my work is done. God has been very 
kind to spare me until every earthly wish and 
desire is satisfied. This house was formerly 
too strait for us, and I longed for just such an 
enlargement as has recently been made. Now 
it is just as I would have it, commodious, com- 
fortable, convenient. Then again, I am at 
home, surrounded by the dear objects of my 
affection, and enabled to give them my parting 
counsels and blessing." 

Here she enlarged upon several matters per- 
taining to the family, with much satisfaction. 
She spoke also of the Zion of God on earth, 
and her relations thereto ; naming several mat- 



HARRIET WARE. 133 



ters in reference to which she had felt a strong 
concern, which now seemed settled just as she 
could desire. In fact there was no earthly 
thing on which she had of late set her heart, 
but what God had allowed her to live to see 
accomplished. She knew not why it was. She 
was an unprofitable servant, and deserved not 
the least favour, and yet her cup of blessing 
was filled to the brim. Then turning her eyes, 
now glistening with deep emotion, toward hea- 
ven, she blessed the worthy name of Jesus, for 
whose sake and through whose blood she had 
become partaker of these blessings. 

Never did I see her so calm and serene, 
never so heavenly and sublime. Under similar 
circumstances, with most Christians, it might 
have been my duty to soothe, cheer, strengthen 
or comfort the soul in this hour of trial. But 
with her nothing like this was needed. I seemed 
as in some heavenly presence, and could only 
sit and listen to the low and gentle, yet dis- 
tinct breathings of a soul already ripe for the 

skies. Her mind was remarkably clear, and 

12 k 



134 MEMOIR OF 



the facility with which she turned from one 
subject to another, until she had finished all 
that she had to say to me, (and it seemed as 
much as her exhausted nature would allow,) 
was wonderful. Her friendly counsels to my- 
self in regard to personal piety, enforced by 
her reflections upon her own past life, while 
now in full view of death, I trust will never 
be forgotten. I listened, wondered, and ad- 
mired. Truly 

The chamber where the good man meets his fate 

Is privileged above the common walks 

Of virtuous life, near to the gates of heaven. 

I prayed with her, and rising to depart, took 
her emaciated hand in mine. As I gazed for the 
last time on that strikingly intelligent and be- 
nevolent countenance, now irradiated with beams 
from a better world, my emotions choked the ut- 
terance of a last farewell, and I turned away, 
desiring that my last end might be like hers. 

Miss Ware died June 26th, 1847, in the forty- 
eighth year of her age. 



HARRIET WARE. 135 



CONCLUSION. 

There is but little to acid to the foregoing 
delineations of character. A few suggestions, 
however, may serve to render the concep- 
tion of her manner of life more distinct and 
individual. 

As to religious belief, the doctrines ever pre- 
sent to her thoughts were those of the entire 
alienation of the human heart from God, the 
utter impossibility of justification by the works 
of the law, the divinity of Christ, the free offer 
of eternal life through his merits and interces- 
sion ; the necessity of the agency of the Spirit 
to the conversion of sinners and the sanctifica- 
tion of believers ; the simple veracity of all the 
promises of God, and the necessity of self-de- 
nying, good works as an evidence of piety. In 
earlier life she dwelt much on the sovereignty 
of God, but, in later years, as she has remarked, 
the doctrine of "Christ crucified" had more 



136 MEMOIR OF 



entirely occupied her attention. What, how- 
ever, was particularly remarkable in her cha- 
racter, was not the belief of these doctrines, 
but the manner in which she believed them. 
Every one of them was not merely an article 
of belief, but the reason for a particular line of 
conduct. Hence they became the mould in 
which her character was cast ; the principles 
which determined her action in the ordinary as 
well as the extraordinary circumstances of life. 
The superintending providence of God was to 
her a ground for unfailing trust. The goodness 
of God was a perpetual incitement to gratitude ; 
the holiness of God repelled her from sin ; the 
love of Christ constrained her ; and thus she 
rapidly grew to the stature of consistent and 
well-developed Christianity. 

"While, however, her attainments in the Chris- 
tian life were thus uncommon, it is scarcely 
possible to conceive of a person penetrated with 
more sincere humility. She evidently loathed 
to hear herself spoken of with any particular 
commendation. Her views of the Christian 



HARRIET WARE. 137 



character were so elevated, and her conceptions 
of the holiness of God so intense, that, compar- 
ing herself by these standards, she habitually 
adopted the language of the publican, " God be 
merciful to me a sinner." The idea that she 
could by any good work bring God under any 
obligation, or do any thing that could be of the 
nature of a justification, was especially odious 
to her. She knew that if she had done all, 
she would be but an unprofitable servant ; and 
knowing that all her services were imperfect 
and mingled with sin, she sought for justifica- 
tion wholly through the merits of Christ, and 
from him alone looked for righteousness, sanc- 
tification and redemption. 

While, however, she held her own belief with 
rare firmness and distinctness, she was in a 
remarkable degree free from censoriousness. 
That perfect freedom which she claimed for 
herself, she was prompt to concede to others. 
Uniting with all who were willing to unite with 
her in any good work, when there was no sur- 
render of principle, she forbore to judge those 
12* 



138 MEMOIR OF 



who differed from her. Knowing that to his 
own master every one of us standeth or falleth, 
she was not prone to prejudge the decision of 
Omniscience ; and while she held that every 
portion of revealed truth was of inestimable im- 
portance, she pretended not to determine, in 
any particular case, how great a degree of 
error is of necessity exclusive of the hope of 
salvation. 

In order to the more perfect appreciation of 
the character of Miss Ware, it may not be in- 
appropriate to refer to the defects to which she 
was naturally liable. These seemed to me not 
to belong to her principles of action, but rather 
to the practical results to which she was led. 
Like many persons of strong original views, she 
was perhaps not sufficiently aware of the limits 
within which general principles must frequently 
be restricted. Thus, her desire to befriend 
orphans was, I think, liable to lead her into a 
course by which vicious parents might be re- 
lieved of their natural responsibility. Her 
desire to rescue from destruction every child 






HARK IE T WARE. 189 



that was brought to her, would sometimes in- 
duce her to receive into the family those whorn 
other persons would have preferred to send to 
the alms-house, from a fear of the moral conta- 
mination which they might communicate to 
others. Her benevolence led her rather to 
look at the individual good that might be ac- 
complished than at the general principles by 
which all good effort is to be regulated. 

Whatever were the errors, however, to which 
she might be liable, the practical injury was less, 
under her supervision, than under that of any 
person whom I remember to have known. She 
was so eminently self-sacrificing, and so sleep- 
lessly vigilant, that her practice corrected in a 
remarkable degree the evils of her theory ; and 
hence, the success of her efforts were such as 
has rarely in any similar case been realized. 
If, in this manner, she erred in judgment, her 
errors were those of an unusually independent, 
self-sacrificing and earnest benevolence. The 
proportion of persons of this character is, un- 
fortunately, too small to render their errors of 



140 MEMOIR OF 



great practical evil to the cause of Christian 
charity. 

The personal appearance of Miss "Ware was 
in no respect remarkable. She had far too 
high a conception of the value of money to 
spend it upon any thing merely ornamental. 
She needed all she could command in order to 
gratify her impassioned benevolence, and hence 
she restricted her expenses within the narrow- 
est possible limit, that she might reserve the 
more to bestow upon the needy. Her manners 
were natural and unaffected. As she never 
appeared anywhere without a definite reason, 
the object so totally occupied her mind that she 
never thought of herself, and her strong sense 
at once pointed out the position which good 
breeding would require her to assume. Al- 
ways self-possessed, always frank and fearless, 
she spoke on all occasions the language of sim- 
ple verity ; but she never spoke with acrimony, 
and never violated the usages which protect 
from invasion the minor rights of our fellow- 
men. 






HARRIET WARE. 141 



The lesson which may be learned from this 
brief narrative is, I think, easily learned; I 
wish that I could add, it is easily put in prac- 
tice. I think it teaches, that a great power 
for good is placed in the hands of all of us, if 
we had but the energy and self-sacrifice to use 
it. Here was a young woman of ordinary New 
England education, endowed with no power of 
fascination, destitute of friends, and almost un- 
known in this city, who visited it on an errand 
of mercy. She entered at once upon the most 
self-denying undertaking within her knowledge. 
She thought of nothing but her object ; and 
Gocl, who knew her heart, furnished her with 
aid as she needed it. As obstacles presented 
themselves she surmounted them; and when 
her plans, in the course of Divine Providence, 
seemed all to be frustrated, it turned out, in 
the end, that disappointment was nothing but 
the means of leading her to the very field of 
usefulness which, above all others, she had 
specially longed for. As means were needed 
they were from time to time supplied ; and she 



142 MEMOIR. 



was not removed by death until her most che- 
rished wishes were gratified, and an institution 
was permanently founded for the benefit of 
those orphans to whom she had consecrated her 
life. Did Christian men and women adopt and 
act upon her principles, how soon would vice 
and misery be banished from the earth ! Such, 
it seems to me, is the lesson to be learned from 
her life ; and every page of her brief history is 
written over and over with the command, " Go 

THOU AND DO LIKEWISE." 



THE END. 



-IT 



